This remarkable figure represents a quarter of all global student visas issued during this period
In a recent announcement, the United States Embassy in India revealed an extraordinary achievement in the issuance of student visas to Indian students during the summer of 2023. The report, covered by nriaffairs.com, highlighted the significant milestone of over 90,000 Indian students securing US visas in the months of June, July, and August. This remarkable figure represents a quarter of all global student visas issued during this period.
In a statement released by the US Embassy India, the achievement was celebrated, saying, “The US Mission in India is pleased to announce that we issued a record number – over 90,000 – of student visas this summer, during June, July, and August. This summer, almost one in four student visas worldwide was issued right here in India!”
The embassy extended its warm congratulations and best wishes to the ambitious students who have chosen the United States as their preferred destination for higher education. The message conveyed, “Congratulations and best wishes to all the students who have chosen the United States to make their higher education goals a reality! That’s a wrap! With teamwork and innovation, we ensured that all qualified applicants reached their programs on time.”
This achievement follows the trend from the previous year when a remarkable 125,000 student visas were granted to Indian nationals, surpassing all other countries in terms of visa issuance. As of 2023, the United States hosts approximately 200,000 Indian students, constituting over 20 percent of the international student population in the country.
According to data released by the Government of India in the previous year, in 2022, there were approximately 4,65,791 Indian students residing in the United States on study visas.
A previous report by Mint, published in June, highlighted the initiation of the visa appointment process for F1 student visas by the United States across its consulates in India, with appointments available from mid-July to mid-August. This move further facilitated the influx of Indian students pursuing educational opportunities in the United States
The Open Doors Report 2022, unveiled on November 15, revealed that India’s share of the international student population had surged from 11.8 percent to an impressive 21 percent. As a result, India had surpassed China in terms of the number of international students studying in the United States.
Furthermore, the report indicated that the total count of international students pursuing higher education in the United States had increased from 9.14 lakhs in 2020-21 to 9.48 lakhs in 2021-22.
The Open Doors Report 2022 also shed light on the distribution of Indian students across the United States, with nearly half of them studying in six states: New York, California, Texas, Illinois, Massachusetts, and Arizona. These states are home to 12 higher educational institutions ranked within the top 100 in the latest QS rankings.
Notably, programs in mathematics and computer sciences, in addition to engineering, have gained significant popularity among Indian students over the past decade. An analysis of Open Doors data revealed a growing trend of Indian students choosing to stay in the United States after completing their degrees, often participating in three-year work or training programs.
A previous report by Mint, published in June, highlighted the initiation of the visa appointment process for F1 student visas by the United States across its consulates in India, with appointments available from mid-July to mid-August. This move further facilitated the influx of Indian students pursuing educational opportunities in the United States.
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