India beats China as top source of students to US, reclaims spot after 15 years

India has dethroned China as the leading source of international students to the United States for the 2023-2024 academic year. This comes after a gap of 15 years. India saw a 23% increase in the number of college students going to America for a college education. This amounted to 3.3 lakh students, according to a report from Open Doors.

Whereas China saw a 4% dip in the number of students it sent to US colleges and universities, according to the same report published by the Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and the Institute of Education.

The last time India topped this list was in 2009.

INDIA SURPASSES CHINA TO SEND MAXIMUM STUDENTS TO US

Overall, the two countries, India and China, end up sending half of the international students to the US.

These students study STEM courses such as computer science, engineering and mathematics.

“This year marks a record high for international students in the United States,” said Allan Goodman, the CEO of the Institute of Education.

“ students enrich our campuses, foster cultural exchange, and contribute significantly to our economy, and we remain dedicated to supporting these bright minds and ensuring that the US continues to be a premier destination for global education.”

In the US, the most notable growth in international students has been seen in graduate programmes, with a 19% increase.

Several practical training courses have even seen a 41% increase.

But the number of international students coming to the US is a record 1.12 million, according to the Institute of Education.

The number of students has especially increased manifold after the pandemic.

INDIAN STUDENTS CONTRIBUTE $50 BILLION DOLLARS TO US ECONOMY

They have also contributed immensely to the US economy, with a 7% increase in international students each year.

According to the US Department of Commerce, foreign students have contributed $50 billion to the US economy in 2023, especially in fees and living expenses.

However, the US is not the only country to see a record-high number of Indian students.

The UK has also seen Indian students being the top source of non-European Union students going to the UK in 2022-2023.

This was an increase of 39% with over 1.7 lakh students, crossing China's numbers again.

But it is not just that Indians are going in large numbers to study abroad. Even Americans go as students in different countries.

More than 280,000 US students left their country to study in 2022-2023, a 49% increase in the last academic year.

“Italy, the United Kingdom, Spain, and France remained the leading host destinations, with nearly half (45%) of all students studying in these top four destinations,” the report read.

India is topping the charts for sending the maximum number of students to the US, and it has even surpassed China now.