India has overtaken China as the leading source of international students in US universities, with Telugu states making a remarkable contribution to this achievement. The US Consulate in Hyderabad reports that Andhra Pradesh and Telangana together account for 56% of all Indian students studying in America.
According to recent data, about 330,000 Indian students enrolled in US universities during 2023-24. From this impressive total, approximately 180,000 students came from just two states. Telangana contributed 34% of total Indian students, while Andhra Pradesh added another 22% to this significant number.
The US Consulate in Hyderabad has witnessed extraordinary growth in visa processing operations. The consulate conducted 47,000 student visa interviews during the summer season of 2024, showing substantial growth from 35,000 interviews in 2023. Currently, the facility processes 1,600 visas daily and plans to increase this number to 2,500 visas daily by early 2025. The consulate has earned its position as second in productivity among US missions in India, successfully processing over 5,500 services in 2024.
Rebekah Drame, US Consular Chief in Hyderabad, shared that the consulate staff has doubled in size over the past 18 months. The team is expected to triple by early 2025 to meet growing demand. Across India, the US processed 1.4 million visas last year, representing an impressive volume despite touching just a fraction of the population.
Alexander McLaren, Public Affairs Officer, noted an interesting trend in the student demographics. While most Indian students pursuing education in the US are males enrolled in master’s programs, there’s significant potential for growth in undergraduate enrollments. This expansion could help create a more diverse student body in US universities.
A significant development in visa services was the introduction of the H-1B domestic revalidation pilot program. This innovative initiative provided 10,000 appointments for H-1B holders to renew their visas while remaining in the US, eliminating the need to travel back to India. Following its success, the program is expected to become a regular service in 2025.
The surge in student numbers and enhanced visa processing capabilities demonstrates the strengthening educational partnership between India and the United States, with Telugu states firmly established as leaders in this educational migration.
-Sanyogita
