Bharat has surpassed China to become the largest
source of international graduate students in US for the first time since
2009-10, with 268,923 Indian students studying in American institutions during
the academic year 2022-23.
As per a new report from the Institute of
International Education or IIE released, a record number of Indian students
travelled to the US to pursue higher education for the third year in a row.
The Open Doors Report said the number of students from
Bharat coming to US increased by 35 per cent and resulted in an all-time high
of 268,923 in the academic year 2022-23. Indian students account for more than
25 per cent of the more than one million foreign students studying in US.
The number of Indian graduate students rose by 63 per
cent to 165,936 during 2022-23, an increase of nearly 64,000 students, compared
to 2021-22, while Indian undergraduate students increased by 16 per cent.
Data showed India leading in the number of individuals
(69,062) who pursued optional practical training (OPT), a type of temporary
work permission that allows eligible students to get real-world experience
related to their field of study.
“According to Open Doors Report data, India surpassed
China to become the largest source of international graduate students in United
States for the first time since 2009/10,” the US embassy said in a statement.
The US embassy and consulates in India issued a record
numbers of student visas during the main student visa season of June-August
2023. Consular officers across India issued 95,269 visas in the F, M, and J
categories. This marked an 18 per cent increase during the same time frame in
2022.
To assist Indian students in finding the right study
opportunity, the US state department offers free advising services to
prospective candidates, both virtually and in-person, at six Education USA
advising centres in New Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai and Hyderabad.
All centres are staffed by Education USA advisors who
offer accurate, comprehensive and up-to-date information about opportunities to
study in the US, helping Indian students find the best programme among more
than 4,500 accredited higher-education institutions.
US ambassador Eric Garcetti said every Indian student
in the US and their families deserve recognition for this achievement.
“The decision to study abroad, and your choice of the
United States, represents a valuable investment by you and your families. You
are bringing our countries closer together and leading us towards a bright
future. We celebrate the strength of the Indian educational system that
prepares students to compete globally and look forward to seeing India continue
to lead,” he said.
“We also look forward to balancing these record
numbers. We want to see equal numbers of women pursuing studies in the United
States and see more US students coming to experience all that India has to
offer.”
The release of the Open Doors Report marked the
beginning of the International Education Week (IEW), which celebrates the
benefits of international education and exchange worldwide.
The US Institute of International Education (IIE)
publishes the Open Doors report. IIE conducts an annual statistical survey on
international students in the US in partnership with the US state department’s
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
The Open Doors Report 2023 includes international
students enrolled at US higher education institutions and online from abroad,
and those on Optional Practical Training (OPT) from fall 2022 to spring 2023.
