Did you know that India and China together send more than half of all international students studying in the US? But hold on, new student admissions have taken a small hit because the US is tightening visa rules. According to the Open Doors 2025 Report by the US-based Institute of International Education (IIE), 277,118 students started their US studies in Fall 2024 — that's 7.2% fewer than the 298,705 students last year. But here’s the spicy twist: India is still the biggest sender of students for the second year straight! The report shows 363,019 Indian students enrolled in US colleges for 2024–25 — a juicy 10% jump from 331,602 the year before. Meanwhile, China has seen a dip from 277,398 to 265,919 students, a 4% drop. What’s fueling India's rise? A whopping 11.3% increase in undergraduate students to 40,135. Plus, those joining Optional Practical Training (OPT) courses shot up by 47.3%. However, graduate enrollments dropped by 9.5% to 177,892. Overall, US colleges and universities hosted 1.2 million international students in 2024/2025 — that's a 5% jump from last year. Breaking it down, new undergraduate enrollments rose by 5% to 98,963, but fresh graduate enrollments fell sharply by 15% to 150,536. Non-degree enrollments also dipped 3.6% to 27,619. Career expert Jayprakash Gandhi spills some inside tea on why fewer foreign students are flocking to the US. "Layoffs in tech and banking sectors have cut the US's charm for education seekers," he says. "Add trade wars and the new government plan to cap admissions at 15%, and it’s clear why students hesitate." He adds, "Earlier, students found it easier to stay back and get jobs. Now, this is tough, so they eye other countries like Ireland, Germany, Sweden, and Finland." Despite the rise in Indian students now, Gandhi warns, "Considering visa hassles, this number will definitely go down in the coming years." So, the US remains a top choice but is facing stiff challenges. Where will global students turn next? Only time will tell!