US sees 13% drop in Indian student applications, Russia up 34%, Germany 49%

Indian students heading to Russia rose by 33.7% in 2024 compared to 2023

A drop in Indian students choosing the United States for higher education should be a concern for US universities and policymakers, according to Christopher Clary, associate professor at the University at Albany.  

 

“The drop in Indian students studying in the US by 13% from 2023 to 2024 should be a cause for concern for US universities and policymakers. I suspect some of it is a depreciating rupee against the dollar, some policy uncertainty ahead of Trump. But it’s a warning sign,” Clary wrote on X (formerly Twitter).  

 

For instance, in March 2023, the Indian rupee traded between approximately Rs 81.71 and Rs 82.72 per US dollar. As of March 11, 2025, the exchange rate stands at about Rs 87.34 per US dollar. This depreciation means that expenses like tuition fees and living costs in the US have become more expensive for Indian students.

 

 

His concerns stem from the Indian government's data, which shows that the overall number of Indian students going abroad fell by nearly 15% in 2024 compared to the previous year. The sharpest decline was seen in students opting for Canada, where numbers dropped by 41%.

 

In contrast, the number of Indian students heading to Russia rose by 33.7% compared to 2023.

 

Decline in Indian students abroad  

 

Union Minister of State for Education Sukanta Majumdar on Monday shared the figures during the Budget session in response to a question from Lok Sabha member E T Mohammed Basheer of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML).  

 

According to the data:  

 

<7,50,365 Indians were studying abroad in 2022.  

<This rose to 8,92,989 in 2023, reflecting a post-pandemic increase.  

<In 2024, the number fell to 7,59,064, marking a nearly 15% drop.  

 

Canada sees biggest drop  

 

Canada witnessed the steepest decline, with Indian student numbers dropping to 1,37,608 in 2024 from 2,33,532 in 2023—a 41% decrease.  

 

The drop follows Canada’s decision to tighten student visa regulations, leading to higher rejection rates, stricter application scrutiny, and potential study permit cancellations.  

 

The decline comes amid worsening diplomatic relations between the two countries. In October 2023, Canada withdrew 41 diplomats from India after New Delhi demanded parity in diplomatic presence over a dispute linked to the killing of Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. The situation escalated further in October 2024 when both nations expelled each other’s diplomats.  

 

Fewer Indian students in US, UK, Australia  

 

Indian student numbers also fell in other major destinations:  

 

United States: Dropped from 2,34,473 in 2023 to 2,04,058 in 2024, down 12.9%. Experts suggest uncertainty over Donald Trump’s policies played a role.  

United Kingdom: Declined from 1,36,921 in 2023 to 98,890 in 2024, a 27.7% decrease, possibly due to stricter visa rules and changes in post-study work policies.  

Australia: Fell from 78,093 in 2023 to 68,572 in 2024, a 12% drop, linked to higher visa fees, stricter entry requirements, and concerns over housing affordability.  

China: The number of Indian students declined from 7,279 in 2023 to 4,978 in 2024.  

 

Russia, France, Germany attract more Indian students  

 

While numbers fell in several countries, Russia, France, Germany, and New Zealand saw an increase in Indian students.  

 

Russia: Numbers grew from 19,784 in 2022 to 23,503 in 2023, reaching 31,444 in 2024.  

France: Indian student enrolment rose from 6,406 in 2022 to 7,484 in 2023 and 8,536 in 2024.  

Germany: The figure increased from 20,684 in 2022 to 23,296 in 2023 and 34,702 in 2024.  

New Zealand: Numbers surged from 1,605 in 2022 to 7,297 in 2024.  

 

Meanwhile, the Philippines saw a slight decline, with Indian student numbers dropping from 11,261 in 2022 to 8,101 in 2024.