AMERICAN DREAM DIMS FOR INDIAN STUDENTS

Sharp drop in student visas reflects Trump administration's tougher stance and rising uncertainty

- BY NIDHI RAZDAN | Special to Gulf News

As US President Donald Trump single-handedly ruins a hard-built relationship with India, another key aspect of ties between the two countries has taken a hit — the number of Indian students going to study in America has sharply declined, thanks to a hostile US administration that has made it clear it is less than welcoming of foreign students.

Recent data from the State Department shows that the number of student visas issued by the US has fallen 15 per cent globally from October 2024 to March 2025.

One of the sharpest drops has been from India — down 43.5 per cent compared to a year ago. Experts say the outlook for the rest of the year is even bleaker, thanks to Trump's fight with Ivy League universities and a tougher immigration stance that has seen many Indian students deported.

Visa interviews have become a nightmare as the US now demands social media scrutiny, requiring all accounts to be made public. Many students have been busy deleting old posts, worried they may be denied a visa. Worse, Trump's move to pause visa interviews midway through the season left many thousands of students in a state of limbo.

The million-dollar question