The universities in the US have registered a decline in applications from Indian students following rising hate crimes and concerns over potential changes in visa policies by the Trump administration, according to a survey.
The survey was carried out by a coalition of six higher education associations in the US and involved over 250 US colleges and universities.
According to the initial findings of the survey, there was a 26 per cent decline in undergraduate applications and 15 per cent drop in graduate application from India for the new acedemic session beginning this autumn.
A complete and final version of “Open Doors 2016” will be available by March 30.
Open Doors is a comprehensive information resource on international students and scholars studying or teaching at higher education institutions in the US, and US students studying abroad for academic credit at their home colleges or universities.
The survey also said India and China currently make up 47 per cent of US international student enrolment, with almost half a million Indian and Chinese students studying in the US.
From China, there was a 25 per cent drop in undergraduate applications and 32 per cent drop in graduate applications.
There was also a great deal of concern from students and families all over the globe, with the highest number of concerns emanating from the Middle East (79 per cent), Asia (36 per cent) and Latin America (34 per cent).
The most frequently noted concerns of international students and their families, as reported by institution-based professionals, included perceptions of a rise in student visa denials at US embassies and consulates in China, India and Nepal. The idea that the US was now less welcoming to individuals from other countries.
There were concerns that benefits and restrictions around visas could change, especially around the ability to travel, re-entry after travel, and employment opportunities, said the report.
Many people feared that President Trump’s travel ban order might widen to include additional countries.
The survey was conducted by American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers, the National Association for College Admission Counselling, International Association for College Admission Counselling, the Institute of International Education, Association of International Educators, and the College Board.
