There has been a year-on-year growth in the total number of US study visas issued for Indian students, from over 96,000 in 2021 and 133,000 in 2022, to more than 140,000 in 2023.
“The number of students from India to the US is continuously growing. We are also really proud to say that every first time student who wanted a visa appointment got it, something we weren’t able to achieve in the past,” Brenda Soya, public affairs officer at the US Consulate General in Mumbai, told The PIE News.
“Mumbai itself has had more student visa interviews than anywhere else in the world,” she added, speaking at the EducationUSA fair in Mumbai on August 24.
Despite a quarter of international students in the US coming from India, the majority of them are male students, with women making up about one third of all Indian students studying in the US.
This is despite a recent survey stating that most Indian women who wish to study abroad want to go to the US.
“There are still fewer female students than men in the US from India, and that’s something we are trying to figure out. The reason could be that most of them are going for STEM, and traditionally more men join the courses,” stated Soya.
“There are statistically more women on US campuses, so if you are a woman from India you are part of the top half of the majority, which should be comforting.”
According to Soya, there are also key differences in how EducationUSA fairs are now organised in India compared to previous years.
“I believe we are now getting stronger candidates from India. In the past, there were a lot of questions about how many students will be let in, how much GPA is needed, students always wanted to know a formula,” said Soya.
“Today the recruiters and students coming to the fair are more discerning. Students realise that it’s a mutual relationship between them and the universities, and that American education is very accessible.”
There are still fewer female students than men in the US from India, and that’s something we are trying to figure out.
Brenda Soya, US Consulate General Mumbai.
According to Shivam Gupta at MetaApply, the Indian market has advanced with students being more educated about what they want, affordability of courses, and aiming for studies in areas like data science and analytics.
US universities, which saw a 35% growth in Indian students in 2022/23 compared to 2021/22, are catering to a different market from the one they were used to just a few years ago.
While data seen by The PIE suggests that 76% of students from India are still pursuing STEM majors, more students are enquiring about non-STEM programs.
“I am seeing more interest in courses like Social Sciences than before. Earlier when I was here, the queries were mostly about engineering, computer science, and business courses,” said Jason Cronk, director of recruitment and financial aid, University of Pennsylvania GSE.
“Students are also preferring careers in public policy, counselling, and teaching. I used to spend a lot of time educating students on what a masters degree looks like, now I am seeing that students are more informed.”
With Indian students going beyond STEM in the US, institutions like American Musical and Dramatics Academy are also pitching their programs in India.
“While most other institutions are STEM-oriented, we are a performing arts school. If students wish to go after careers in theatres, films, OTT, it’s only natural they will pursue education in the US or in India,” said Palak Tejani, recruitment specialist at AMDA.
“We don’t have entry level tests for students rather auditions. Students have to send monologues to us, which we evaluate. We are also conducting a live audition in Mumbai in November for prospective students.”
With India being one of the largest international student source markets in the world, it’s a first for many US universities initiating direct recruitment efforts in India.
“This is our first time in India and we wanted to get exposure in the country. We are a specialised university and our biggest challenge is that many questions are about UG courses but we don’t offer any,” said Cherish-Hagen Swanson, international student coordinator, University of Western States – a private health sciences university.
Some institutions like Canisius University, a private Jesuit institution in New York, are putting less emphasis on tests and more importance on ‘real world experiences’, which could appeal to international students.
“We don’t focus on past grades or tests but rather look at the person as a whole. We are trying to expand our international office and seeing a lot of interest in regions like India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and West Africa,” said Sarah Burke, international admissions counsellor, Canisius University.
Though the US still remains a priority over the UK, Australia, Canada, and other popular countries, a number of isolated incidents have led to questions about the safety of Indian students.
Just in 2024 alone, 11 Indian or Indian-origin students in the US have died in accidents, violent incidents, and more.
“Student safety is a top concern for the US and institutions in the country. Each US university has their own safety and security plan. So when students arrive at the campus, it’s on them to ask questions about the campus’s security system,” said Soya.
“Students need to be aware of what resources they have such as their access to campus officials, if they have downloaded the necessary apps, etc. We also do workshops at the Consulate, so it’s important for parents and prospective students to stay in touch with us as well.”
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