Washington: The corridors of America’s universities no longer echo with the same rush of Indian voices. The crowd is thinning. The numbers tell the story.
U.S.-based venture capitalist Debarghya Das shared new data that paints a striking picture. Once the dreamland for ambitious engineers and data scientists from abroad, the United States is no longer what it used to be. The country has seen an 18% overall drop in international students since 2017 (its peak year). For Indian students, the fall has been sharper, with a 42% slide in numbers.
Das’s post draws from the OPT Observatory, which tracks participation in the Optional Practical Training (OPT) programme, a work authorisation that lets international graduates work in their field for up to three years. The numbers show a clear trend: fewer Indian Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) graduates are choosing to stay back in the United States.
Years ago, almost all of them did. Around 95% of Indian STEM graduates once opted for OPT extensions. That number now stands near 78%. For Chinese students, the decline is steeper, from 75% to 50%.
The drop is not merely statistical; it signals a shift in sentiment.
“Indian STEM students have historically been far more likely to stay in the U.S. than their Chinese counterparts. But even those numbers are now falling,” Das wrote a post on X (formerly Twitter).
HUGE Immigration Stats! The US is no longer as attractive for international students as it once was.
— International students are down 18% since peak in 2017 to ~205k/yr. Indians are worst hit (-42% from 2017).
— Indian STEM Masters students in the US choose to stay in US on… pic.twitter.com/jiPjVhsrfP
— Deedy (@deedydas) October 11, 2025
A chart shared by him shows the trend line curving down year after year. It marks the silent retreat of foreign minds who once saw the United States as the ultimate launchpad.
Behind the fall lie many reasons.
The immigration maze has grown thicker. The H-1B visa lottery remains uncertain, leaving thousands of skilled graduates in limbo. Pathways to permanent residency have become longer and more complex. The anxiety over job sponsorships grows each year.
At the same time, other nations have opened their doors wider. Canada offers smoother permanent residency routes. The United Kingdom now welcomes post-study work. Australia, Germany and even Gulf nations are rolling out clearer pathways for global talent. They are doing what the United States once did best, turning students into citizens.
The OPT Observatory points out another layer to the story. Indian and Chinese STEM master’s students once made up nearly 30% of all international graduates in the United States. Their steady exit could reshape the country’s tech and research backbone.
For India, this decline cuts both ways. The shrinking numbers mean fewer students abroad but also a possible return of skilled minds, those who now find new hubs in Bangalore, Hyderabad or Singapore instead of Silicon Valley.
Still, the signal is clear. The United States is losing its shine as the world’s academic magnet. The fall from 95% to 78% among Indian STEM OPT participants captures a truth, which is dreams that once took flight over the Atlantic are now finding new skies.