US still top draw, but growth rate of Indian students halves: Survey
Though the US is still a much-favoured destination for Indian students, the percentage of increase in fresh enrolments by Indians halved in 2016-2017 to 12.3% from almost 25% the previous year, according to the latest Open Doors survey conducted by the Institute of International Education. The year 2014-15 too had seen robust growth of 29.4%.
In global terms, the US saw a decline in fresh enrolments this year, with nearly 10,000 fewer candidates signing up; the new student count of about 2.9 lakh represents a 3% decrease from the previous year.
For the third year in a row, the largest growth came from India, primarily at the graduate level and in optional practical training (OPT), which is temporary employment linked to a student’s area of study (eligible students can receive up to 12 months of OPT before and/or after completing studies). The Indian student population in the US is now 1.86 lakh. Read more….