Foreign applications from India to US colleges down by 15%, shows report; among steepest drops from any country
According to a report by the Common App, India is among the countries with the steepest decline in the number of applicants to study in the US.
Foreign applications to US colleges dropped by 15% in 2025-26, with India experiencing the steepest decline among countries, according to a report by Common App. Applicants from Asia, including India, saw an 11% decline, while those from Africa dropped by 17%. The largest decline in Africa was 34%, driven by Ghana. Although overall undergraduate applications increased for the 2026-27 academic year, international applications fell by 10% during the first three months of the year, the sharpest decline on record.
Jamie Beaton, co-founder and CEO of Crimson Education, attributes the decline to stricter immigration rules, limited visa availability, and country-specific restrictions. Illegal immigration from India to the US has decreased significantly, with 20,614 encounters recorded in FY2026, down 69% from 29,000 encounters in FY2025. The decline is due to stricter immigration policies, refusal to grant asylum, and the high cost of the journey.
Written by urgent.news from Hindustan Times - World News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
