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US international student count hits 1.58 million in 2024, 27% from India

India was the largest source of international students in the United States in 2024, accounting for nearly 27% of the total foreign student population, according to new data from US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The SEVIS by the Numbers report, released on June 5, 2025, recorded 420,000 Indian students actively enrolled that year — an 11.8% jump from 2023 — helping push overall international student numbers in the US to 1.58 million. The data comes from the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), used by the US Department of Homeland Security to track F-1 academic and M-1 vocational visa holders. Asia remained the largest source * Asia accounted for around 1.1 million students, or 72% of the total international student population * India and China continued to be the top two source countries * China saw a slight 0.25% decline, with 320,000 students in 2024 More than 90% of all international students — around 1.43 million — were enrolled in higher education programmes. California and New York remained the most popular destinations, hosting 237,000 and 172,000 students respectively. New 2025 data shows sharp decline But the momentum appears to have reversed. Data reviewed by Chris R Glass, professor at Boston College in April, shows a sharp fall in student enrolments between March 2024 and March 2025. The number of active international student records dropped by 11.3%, from 1.153 million to 1.022 million. Indian student numbers fell by 28%, from 354,295 to 255,442. Chinese student enrolments, however, rose 3.28% to 263,510. Shifting trends in student mobility and visa refusal rates Glass, in a blog post, attributes the fall to shifting trends in student mobility and visa refusal rates. 'There was a 28% drop from India, which had been on a growth track,' he said. 'This is linked to a broader 20.5% drop in master's programme enrolments by international students. Bachelor's enrolments stayed stable.' Glass added, 'More importantly, as I've argued, international graduate students aren't supplemental income—they're critical scientific infrastructure. They don't merely augment American scientific leadership—in many critical domains, they constitute it.' He also pointed to affordability, long visa processing times, and permanent residency options in other countries as likely contributors. Reports of harsh treatment of some Indian students may also be playing a part. Country-wise changes in enrolments (Mar 2024 to Mar 2025) India: Down 27.9% (354,295 to 255,442) China: Up 3.3% (255,146 to 263,510) Nigeria: Down 16% (23,433 to 19,685) Brazil: Down 13.9% (32,992 to 28,410) Vietnam: Down 9.5% (26,913 to 24,356) Japan: Up 14.1% (16,200 to 18,489) Saudi Arabia: Up 13.5% (14,933 to 16,949) South Korea: Up 3.6% (46,243 to 47,928) Canada: Down 3.8% (33,455 to 32,201) Taiwan: Down 2.9% (22,028 to 21,394) STEM graduate programmes face budget cuts Federal funding cuts have also hit graduate education. The US National Science Foundation's budget has been slashed from $9 billion to $3 billion. NIH funding has dropped by 78%, with Columbia University alone seeing a $650 million freeze. 'These cuts strike at the heart of graduate education funding, particularly for international students,' said Glass. 'Federal funding serves as the primary support for 5% of STEM master's students and 26% of STEM doctoral students.' He added that 69% of these students are funded through research assistantships tied to federal grants. 'I currently estimate between 50,000 and 77,000 international STEM graduate students could be affected—approximately 10% of the total international STEM graduate population,' said Glass. STEM OPT numbers show Indian dominance In 2024, nearly 165,000 international students received the two-year STEM OPT (Optional Practical Training) extension after graduation. Of these, 48% were Indian and 20.4% were Chinese. OPT participation overall rose 21.1% year-on-year, with 194,000 international students working in the US under the programme in 2024. Glass said, 'We don't need to wait for November to see the warning signs. The data on the dashboard are flashing red before our eyes.'