For the first time in five years, the number of Indian students heading to foreign universities has simultaneously declined across the top three destination countries — Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom — an analysis of the latest visa numbers by The Indian Express has revealed.
The data shows a sharp decline of at least 25% in Indian students receiving study permits across these key destinations in 2024. Canada witnessed a 32% drop, with permits falling from 2.78 lakh to 1.89 lakh, according to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). The United States saw an even steeper 34% decrease, with F1 visas dropping from 1,31,000 to 86,110 between fiscal years 2023 and 2024. Similarly, the UK recorded a 26% reduction, with sponsored student visas issued to Indians decreasing from 1,20,000 to 88,732, based on UK Home Office figures.
F1 Visas issued in each fiscal year
This slump comes amid tightening immigration measures in several countries, particularly Canada and the UK, which have introduced caps on student intake and restrictions on dependent visas — often in response to growing concerns about housing pressures and the impact of large international student populations on public services.
Canada has recently implemented several restrictions affecting Indian students. These include ending the fast-track Student Direct Stream program and announcing plans to reduce the number of temporary residents to 5% of its population by 2026. In 2024, Canada introduced a cap on study permits, resulting in a 35% drop from the previous year. A further 10% reduction has been announced for 2025. The government has justified these moves by stating that increases in international student numbers strain housing, healthcare, and other public services.
Reflecting the impact of these changes, the number of study permits granted to Indian students in Canada dropped by 32% in 2024 — from 2.78 lakh in 2023 to 1.89 lakh. In contrast, the number of Chinese students saw only a marginal decline, from 58,080 in 2023 to 56,465 in 2024 — a dip of just 3%.
Study permit holders by country of citizenship and year in which permit became effective
In the UK, similar restrictions were rolled out in 2024, particularly targeting foreign students bringing dependents. According to the Home Office, these changes may have “partly impacted the number of main applicant visas granted.”
Unlike the US and Canada, the UK saw its first decline in student visas for Indians post-pandemic in 2023 itself. That year, the number of Indian students receiving visas dropped by 13%, from 1,38,980 to 1,19,738 — followed by another 26% fall in 2024.
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Sponsored study visas issued to Indian students
This reversal comes after a decade of unprecedented growth in Indian student numbers across these countries. Over the years, Indian students not only registered rapid increases in visa approvals but also eventually surpassed Chinese students in securing study permits in all three destinations.
Canada, which emerged as the most preferred destination for Indian students, saw an eight-fold jump — from 31,920 visas granted in 2015 to 2,78,160 in 2023. The UK recorded an even steeper rise, with Indian student numbers multiplying more than tenfold — from 10,418 in 2015 to 1,19,738 in 2023. The US also witnessed significant growth, with Indian students receiving nearly double the number of F1 visas over the decade — from 74,831 in fiscal year 2015 to 1,30,730 in 2023.
This surge led to Indian students overtaking Chinese peers in all three countries in recent years. Even in 2024, despite the drop in visas, Indian student numbers in Canada and the US remained higher than those of Chinese students. In the UK, Indians outnumbered Chinese students in 2022 and 2023 but fell behind again in 2024 (see graph).
The preferences and patterns of Indian students also vary across these countries. In Canada, most Indian students enroll in college-level programs that offer shorter, job-oriented diplomas and certificates rather than university degrees. At the university level, bachelor’s programs slightly outpaced master’s programs in 2023, with around 16,000 permits issued for undergraduate studies compared to about 15,640 for postgraduate studies.
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In the US, academic interests have shifted over the years. According to data from Open Doors, engineering was the dominant field until 2017–18, after which mathematics and computer science emerged as the most popular choice among Indian students (37.5% versus 35.4% for engineering). Indian students have consistently pursued postgraduate education more than undergraduate programs in the US.
The UK reflects a similar trend. A majority of Indian students there pursue postgraduate studies. The UK Home Office reported that four out of five Indian students — or 80% — were enrolled at the master’s level.
In fact, the gap between undergraduate and postgraduate enrollment has widened over the years. According to data from the Higher Education Statistics Agency, the proportion of Indian undergraduate students in the UK has shrunk significantly — from almost 50% in 2014 to just 20% in 2024.
