In the academic year 2022-23, the number of Indian postgraduate students in the United States surged by 63%, reaching 165,000—a notable milestone as India surpassed China for the first time in 15 years to become the leading source of international graduate students in the US. This data, revealed in the recent Open Doors Report, indicates a significant shift in the demographic makeup of international students in the US. The report, funded by the US Department of State and conducted by the Institute of International Education, also highlights a 35% year-on-year increase in the overall number of Indian students in the US, totaling 268,000 in the previous academic year. This surge marks the largest single-year jump in at least 23 years. The combined contribution of China and India now constitutes 52% of the total international student population in the US. Notably, India’s share has doubled in the past decade, rising from 12% in 2012-13 to 25% in 2022-23—just two percentage points shy of China’s current share, which stands at 27%. This reversal is particularly noteworthy considering that a decade ago, China held a 31% share. Furthermore, Indian students now outnumber their Chinese counterparts in 24 US states, including popular destinations such as Illinois, Texas, and Michigan. This achievement reflects India’s recovery from a two-year decline in student enrollment in US universities, with decreases of 4.4% in 2018-19 and 13.2% in 2019-20, following the pre-pandemic trend.
India Tops List of International Grad Students in the US
