India is ‘top sender’ of students to America

With more than 3.3 lakh Indians studying in the United States, it has become the “top sender” of international students for the first time in 15 years, according to the Open Doors Report 2024 released on Monday.  In the academic year 2022-23, the leading “source country” for international students in the US was China followed by India.

According to the latest Open Doors Report, the number of Indian students studying in the US in the academic year 2023-24 is at an “all-time high” at 3,31,602, a rise of 23 per cent from 2022-23 when the number stood at 2,68,923.

“India is now the leading country of origin for international students in the United States, accounting for 29 per cent of the total international student population,” according to a note shared by the US Embassy on the Open Doors Report 2024.

According to official data associated with the latest report, the top five source countries for international students in the US for 2023-24 are: India, China (2,77,398), South Korea (43,149), Canada (28,998) and Taiwan (23,157).

“India is the top sender of international students (for the first time since 2008/2009) with over 3,31,602 students studying in the United States. The number of Indian students is at an all-time high,” the US Embassy’s note read.  Normally, the academic year in the US begins in September and runs through May.

India also “remained the largest sender” of international graduate (masters and PhD level) students to the US for the second year. The number of Indian graduate students increased by 19 per cent to reach 1,96,567, it said.

The number of undergraduate students from India also increased by 13 per cent to 36,053 while the number of non-degree students experienced a 28 per cent decline to 1,426 students, according to the report.

The release of the Open Doors Report marked the beginning of International Education Week (IEW), which celebrates the benefits of international education and exchange worldwide.

The report is published by the Institute of International Education. The IIE has been conducting an annual statistical survey on international students in the US since its founding in 1919 and in partnership with the US Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs since 1972.