Despite COVID, 1.6 lakh Indian students choose US for higher studies

New Delhi: The United States remains a top destination for Indian students with 1,67,582 students making their way to the country for the academic year 2020-2021. This is 20% of the 9,14,000 international students who went to the US for higher studies, according to the 2021 Open Doors Report. 

The US remained open and welcoming to international students throughout the global COVID-19 pandemic. Last year, the US government and US higher-education institutions implemented measures to safely welcome international students in person, online, and via hybrid learning methods, guaranteeing that opportunities and resources to international students remained robust.

Speaking at the release of the Open Doors report on international student mobility, minister counsellor for consular affairs Don Heflin said, "Despite the global pandemic, Indian students were able to apply for visas and travel to the United States. We issued over 62,000 student visas this summer alone, more than in any previous year. This goes to show that the United States remains the destination of choice for Indian students looking to study abroad. We look forward to issuing many more visas in the year to come, to help Indian students achieve their dreams of US study."

Counselor for cultural and educational affairs Anthony Miranda added, "We value Indian students, as they build life-long connections with American peers to maintain and grow international partnerships, and to collectively address current and future global challenges."

The 2021 Fall Snapshot of the Open Doors report, which looks forward to the 2021-2022 academic year, shows a substantial increase in student numbers this year, further affirming that international students value a US education and remain committed to pursuing higher education in the United States.

Students seeking assistance about studying in the United States can download EducationUSA India app that provides the latest information about college application process and is a quick and easy first step to planning higher education in the United States.