Washington: The Trump Administration has drastically reduced the number of F-1 student visas issued to Indian and Chinese students last year. This has been revealed in a report by the Center for Immigration Studies. According to the report, the number of student visas issued to Indian and Chinese citizens in the US in 2025 has registered a major decline compared to previous years.
In the 2024-25 academic year, 1,177,766 foreign students were studying at U.S. higher education institutions. These included 363,019 from India and 265,919 from China. Together, students from these two countries accounted for 53 percent of the total foreign student population.
OPT scheme in America also affected
Under the OPT program, foreign students are allowed to work in America after completing their degree. This scheme was also affected by the visa cut. According to IIE data, 2,94,253 foreign students were working under OPT in 2024-25. These included 1,43,740 students from India and 61,981 students from China. Of the 1,65,524 foreign students working under OPT in 2024, 68 percent were citizens of India and China. These included 79,331 Indian and 33,807 Chinese students.
CIS says that if the number of students coming from India and China decreases, the number of foreign professionals coming to the US labor market through OPT could also be affected.
Visas were issued to 22 thousand Indians last year.
According to the report, F-1 student visas were issued to 22149 Indians between May and August last year. During the same period in the year 2024, 58,694 visas were issued by the US administration, that is, a decrease of 62 percent was recorded. Talking about Chinese students, 40,034 visas were issued to Chinese students during May-August 2025. In 2024, this number was 61,075 visas. A decrease of 34 percent was recorded in this.
Preparation of a big proposal on OPT:
It is reported that if any student wants to stay and work in America after graduation, then he will have to pay a hefty fee of 1 lakh dollars to the government. However, nothing has been officially said about this. According to a report in Wall Street Journal, apart from the fee for work after education, new visa rules have also been issued. Under this, international students will not be able to stay in America for a long time after studies. However, this has not been finalized yet.
OPT refers to a temporary job that is related to the student’s field of study while in the United States on an F-1 visa. Eligible students can receive up to 12 months of OPT work.
The current system allows students to stay in the United States as long as their studies are ongoing and visa requirements are met. If their studies are extended, the period can be extended based on applicable regulations. This system is now set to end.