Indian student enrolment in US universities has dropped by nearly 75% during the first year of Donald Trump’s second term, according to education consultants. The decline is attributed to stricter visa checks, reduced interview slots and widespread visa cancellations.

Reacting to the trend, V. Ramgopal Rao, Vice-Chancellor of BITS Pilani, said the fall should not be viewed as temporary. He described it as a “structural signal” that requires a long-term and calibrated policy response from India.

Rao said growing hostility towards immigrants, including Indians, in the US is rooted in deeper social and economic factors and is likely to persist beyond any single political leader or movement. He warned against assuming that enrolment numbers will rebound quickly.

By December 2025, around 8,000 student visas had been revoked, while nearly one lakh visas across categories were cancelled as enforcement intensified. Officials say deportations have reached levels not seen in decades.

The impact extends beyond students. The H-1B visa programme, widely used by Indian professionals, is facing tighter scrutiny, with proposals for higher application fees and renewed calls to reduce its size.

Rao said the situation poses immediate challenges for students seeking education and employment in the US, but also presents an opportunity for India to retain talent and strengthen its higher education and research ecosystem. He noted that turning this into a phase of brain gain would require significant reforms.

Education experts said the decline could accelerate discussions on expanding universities, increasing research funding, improving faculty recruitment and strengthening global partnerships. Without structural improvements, they warned, students who stay back or return may not find institutions capable of fully utilising their skills.