WASHINGTON, Oct 7: The United States issued 313,138 student visas in August 2025, a 19.1 percent drop from the same month in 2024, as new data show India saw the sharpest decline and China overtook it as the top origin country.

Indian applicants experienced a 44.5 percent decline in issued visas year‑on‑year, while Chinese student visa issuance also fell, though far less dramatically: 86,647 visas were granted to mainland Chinese nationals in August, more than double the number granted to Indians.

The figures, compiled by the U.S. International Trade Commission, include both new and returning students. They do not capture the total number of students already in the U.S. on previously issued visas. August is traditionally a peak month for university arrivals, making the decline particularly significant.

Observers attribute the drop to tighter visa and immigration policies, including expanded social media scrutiny, delays in processing, and restrictions preventing applicants, especially Indians, from applying via consulates outside their home jurisdictions, even when facing backlogs. In June, Secretary of State Marco Rubio suspended student visa processing for a time and directed U.S. embassies to vet applicants’ social media. He has also revoked thousands of visas, often citing perceived contradictions with U.S. foreign policy positions.

The data also reveal steep declines from several Muslim-majority countries — notably, visa issuances to Iran dropped 86 percent. Overall, student arrivals from Asia fell nearly 24 percent, representing the lowest August levels outside the COVID‑19 period. Africa posted the sharpest regional drop, down nearly one-third, whereas Western Europe saw a modest 0.7 percent fall.

China and India remained the two largest sources of international students, with over 86,000 and over 41,000 arrivals, respectively. Both saw substantial year-over-year declines (down 12.4 percent for China and 44.5 percent for India), while Hong Kong saw a 7.7 percent dip.

The overall student inflow to the U.S. in August dropped from about 387,000 in 2024 to 313,000 in 2025. Other regions—including Africa, South America, and the Middle East—also recorded double-digit declines.

The U.S. hosts over one million international students across its universities and colleges. Education analysts warn that these drops could hurt economic activity and undermine U.S. competitiveness in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines.

NAFSA: Association of International Educators predicts that new international student enrollments could fall by 30 to 40 percent this fall, potentially pushing the total decline to 15 percent, costing local economies up to $7 billion and more than 60,000 jobs. Fanta Aw, NAFSA’s executive director, said the projected economic losses “are just the tip of the iceberg,” underscoring the critical role international students play in innovation, academia, and U.S. global standing.