UNITED KINGDOM, November 15, 2016 (BBC): The number of Indian students studying in the US soared by 25% to a record high, figures from 2015-2016 show. The 2016 Open Doors data says Indian students contribute more than $5.5bn to the American economy. It comes against the backdrop of a steep decline in Indian students opting for the UK, with one estimate citing a 50% drop in four years. Analysts say tougher visa rules in the UK and the stabilization of the rupee against the dollar explain the trend.
A total of 165,918 Indians are now studying in the US, up from 132,888 in 2014-15, the report says. It is released by the Institute of International Education (IIE) in collaboration with the US State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. The report says India accounted for the largest growth in students in the US for the second year in a row, primarily at the “graduate and optional practical training” levels.