The number of student visas issued by the United States saw a steep decline in August, falling nearly 20 percent year-over-year, with India recording the sharpest drop, according to new data released by the U.S. International Trade Commission.
In August 2025, the U.S. issued 313,138 student visas, the primary intake month for American universities — marking a 19.1 percent decrease compared to August 2024.
The decline follows a series of immigration restrictions introduced by President Donald Trump’s administration, including tighter vetting and new fees.
India’s Steep Fall
India, which last year overtook China as the top source of foreign students in the U.S., witnessed a 44.5 percent drop in student visa issuances — the sharpest decline among all countries.
With this reversal, China has regained the top position, as the U.S. issued 86,647 visas to students from mainland China in August — more than twice the number issued to Indians.
Visa issuance for Chinese students also fell but at a much slower pace. The latest statistics do not include students already in the U.S. on previously issued visas.
Policy Shift and Political Undertones
Since returning to the White House, President Trump has made curbing immigration a cornerstone of his policy agenda, extending that crackdown to foreign students.
His administration has also accused U.S. universities of being “ideologically biased” and overly reliant on international enrollments.
In June, Secretary of State Marco Rubio temporarily suspended student visa processing, directing U.S. embassies to conduct enhanced social media vetting of applicants.
Thousands of visas have since been revoked, reportedly for students who criticized U.S. foreign policy — particularly regarding Israel.
New procedural rules have also made it harder for applicants, especially from India, to apply at consulates outside their home jurisdictions, even in cases of severe backlogs — a move that has drawn criticism from education consultants and universities.
Impact Beyond India
The Trump administration’s latest measures have also affected students from several Muslim-majority countries, with visa issuances to Iranian students plummeting by 86 percent compared to last year.
Meanwhile, in a surprising policy shift, Trump has expressed a desire to increase Chinese student enrollment to strengthen U.S.–China ties — a stark contrast to earlier statements by Rubio, who had vowed to “aggressively revoke” visas for Chinese nationals accused of misusing American research access.
The combination of policy reversals and stricter controls has left many U.S. universities worried about falling international enrollment, a key source of both diversity and revenue.
As one education analyst noted, “The sharp decline in Indian students marks a major turning point — not just for American universities, but for decades of soft power and global academic exchange.”