The number of student visas issued by the United States has decreased by approximately 20% compared to the same month last year, with a notable decline from India due to the restrictive policies of President Donald Trump.
New federal data indicate a 19.1% decline in international students entering the US in August 2025, with a significant 44.5% drop from India, the largest sending country.
Data from the International Trade Commission indicates that in August, the US issued approximately 313,138 student visas, reflecting a 19.1 percent decrease compared to August 2024.
41,540 fewer Indian students arrived in the US this August compared to the previous year, typically the peak travel month before the fall semester.
After India, arrivals estimates from the US International Trade Administration (ITA) showed significant losses from other major source nations, with China and South Korea experiencing 12% and 11% drops, respectively. The data does not include students arriving from Canada or Mexico.
However, a single set of data may not be the right approach to arrive at a conclusion. According to recently revealed SEVIS data, overall international students increased by 0.8% this year, against generally held estimates of a 15% fall.
International students have faced significant challenges due to Trump’s immigration policies, which included numerous visa revocations, deportation attempts, and a travel ban affecting 19 countries.
Also, new social media screening and administrative suspension of new visa interviews for nearly a month this summer led to significant global delays, hindering some students’ travel to the US ahead of the fall semester.
Some recent concerns influencing students’ choice of the US as a study destination include proposed changes to the OPT program that could subject student earnings to taxes and recent modifications to the H-1B visa, which now entail a new fee of USD $100,000.