During the 2023–2024 academic year, 1.1 million overseas students were enrolled in US universities, setting a new record, according to the Open Doors 2024 Report. With an astounding 23% increase in enrollment, India has become the largest source of international students in the US. India sent 331,602 students to study in the United States during the 2023–2024 academic year, according to a report released by the Institute of International Education and the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State. This is an important milestone because, for the first time since 2009, India has overtaken all other nations in terms of the number of students it sends to the US.
Currently, 29% of all overseas students in the US are Indian, and many of them are enrolled in graduate programs. Nearly 197,000 Indian students enrolled in graduate programs, a 19% increase from the previous year, according to the data. Furthermore, enrollment in Optional Practical Training (OPT) programs increased by 41% to 97,556, highlighting India’s vital role in providing the US with qualified professionals.
The research also emphasizes how Indian students are becoming more interested in US education. Over 36,000 Indian students are now enrolled in undergraduate programs, an increase of 13%. Nevertheless, the number of non-degree students fell by 28% to 1,426.
US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti stressed the importance of this milestone in his remarks on the report’s release. “India has overtaken all other nations in terms of the number of students it sends to the US for the first time since 2009.” This demonstrates the close educational linkages between our two nations as well as the rising interest of Indian students in US education.
In his comments on the survey, Sachin Jain, Country Manager for ETS India & South Asia, emphasized the US’s steady rise as a top destination for higher education worldwide. “The US has continued to develop significantly as a destination for higher education worldwide, as evidenced by the Open Doors 2024 Report. During the 2023–2024 academic year, more than 1.1 million students in the US are enrolled in higher education.
The findings of the survey highlight the value of the educational connection between the US and India as well as the rising interest of Indian students in US education. This collaboration is probably going to have a big impact on how higher education is shaped globally as long as the US continues to draw in overseas students.
