Number of Indian students seeking higher education in the US zooms
As many as 82,000 visas have been issued between June and August this year for Indian students
Students from India are flocking higher education avenues in the US. The figures for the past decade have shown a significant rise, with the total number of international students from India shooting up from 11.8 percent to the current 21 percent.
Though China accounts for sending the largest number of students to the US, there has been a significant reduction. China’s international students in the US stand at 31 per cent, but going by the growth rate, it is clear that the rate has declined with the share perching at 29 per cent in 2012-13.
Going by a report quoting the recently released Open Doors Report 2022, the growth rate of Indian students travelling to the US will most likely be more than that of China in 2022-23.
Indian students increasingly seek US education
As many as 82,000 visas have been issued between June and August this year for Indian applicants. This in number terms is the highest among all nations. In comparison, the year 2021-22 had witnessed 62,000 student visas issued.
The number of students from India pursuing higher education in the US stand at 1,99,182. The count stood at 1,67,582 in 2020-21, which is an increase of 19 per cent. In 2012-13, there were 96,654 Indian students in higher education in the US, the report added.
The added numbers display the manner in which the lull the pandemic years had brought in has been swept away. Between the 2018-19 and 2019-20 period, and also during the 2019-20 to 2020-21 period, there hasn’t been much enthusiasm among students to travel to the US seeking higher education avenues. During these times, the number of Indian students who had enrolled in US universities saw a decline by 4.4 per cent and 13.2 per cent respectively, it added.
China, India together account for 52% of international students in the US
Taking into account the total number of international students seeking higher education in the US, it has been found that a rise from 9.14 lakh in 2020-21 to 9.48 lakh in 2021-22 had happened. It was not just Indian presence on US soil, but from all over.
However, the Indian presence is significant owing to the fact that the United States continues to be top destination for students looking for higher education options. This also proves that the US offers added opportunities to build a future. The combined numbers from China and India show that 52 percent of all international students in the US are from these two Asian nations.
