6 days ago
1.5 lakh foreign students may skip US colleges this fall, $7 billion loss predicted
The numbers are jarring -- and for Indian students aiming for a US education this fall, also deeply worrying. The United States may see a 30-40% drop in new international student enrolments for the September 2025 intake, according to fresh projections by NAFSA: Association of International Educators and JB a potential loss of over 1,50,000 new students globally -- and a huge portion of them would've come from not just universities that will feel the pinch. If these numbers hold, the US could lose around $7 billion in local spending and over 60,000 jobs across cities and towns that thrive on international student-driven THIS IS HAPPENING NOW
The perfect storm hit between late May and June visa interviews were suspended between May 27 and June 18 -- right in the middle of the busiest season for student visa issuance. Then, when processing resumed, consulates were instructed to immediately roll out new social media vetting checks, despite minimal guidance and already limited appointment top of this, many Indian applicants reported zero appointment availability even as deadlines loomed. Students in China, Nigeria, and Japan faced similar issues. India and China alone account for nearly half of all international students in the US, so any roadblocks here have an outsized the numbers: F-1 visa approvals dropped 12% from January to April 2025. May saw a 22% dip compared to the same month last year. June data isn't officially out yet, but experts expect up to a 90% drop due to the compounded STUDENTS, BIGGER ECONOMIC HITInternational students bring more than just cultural diversity to US campuses. They're a financial powerhouse -- contributing $40 billion annually, paying full tuition, renting apartments, eating out, using local services, and to NAFSA's economic impact model, the potential drop this fall could cost America:$7 billion in lost revenue60,000+ local jobs in college towns and metro areasLong-term research, innovation, and academic competitivenessThe chart provided in the NAFSA-JBI report shows a stark forecast: after peaking in 2024–25, international student-driven economic value could fall by $7 billion in just one year if the downward visa trends continue into 2025–26.
(Photo:
STUDENTS LEFT IN LIMBOIndian students -- the largest cohort heading to the US -- are now stuck between anxiety and uncertainty. Many who received admits from top schools still don't have visa appointments. Some are frantically trying for emergency slots. Others are considering last-minute US travel ban imposed on 19 countries through a June 4 executive order isn't helping either. An additional 36 nations may also face restrictions. If students from these countries are blocked, it would risk another $3 billion loss and over 25,000 jobs -- every THIS BE FIXED?NAFSA has urged the US State Department to take urgent action:Speed up all F-1, M-1, and J-1 visa processingExempt students from current travel bans, while maintaining necessary background checksWhether the government will act in time remains to be seen. But without a sharp recovery in visa approvals in July and August, the fall term may begin with tens of thousands of empty INDIAN STUDENTS SHOULD DO NOWTrack appointments daily: Availability may open up sporadically. Use official CGI Federal your university: Many are willing to issue support letters or help escalate urgent a Plan B: Consider deferral, hybrid or spring intake options if your visa doesn't come through in informed: Follow official embassy and consulate updates -- don't rely on Telegram/Reddit year's September intake may go down as one of the most disrupted in recent memory. And unless the visa pipeline opens up quickly, Indian students may need to rethink how -- or when -- they pursue the American dream.- Ends
