US: Student visa issuances fell by -36% in summer 2025; OPT uncertainty among factors affecting

Key highlights:
• US Department of State data on F-1 visas shows dramatic declines in issuances to international students in the summer of 2025
• About 60% fewer F-1 visas were given to Indian students between May and August of 2025 than in the same period in 2024
• India is the top source of international students for US colleges and universities
• Visas fell significantly for students from other major markets as well
• A pending proposal to restrict or terminate the OPT work programme for F-1 students may have a profound impact on demand for study in the US
• OPT – especially the three-year version for STEM students – is a key draw for students from Asia
• India and China account for 53% of all international students in the US, and more than half of the top 20 markets for US institutions are Asian The US government has renewed its focus on the Optional Practical Training (OPT) programme that allows international students on F-1 visas to gain post-study work experience for one to three years following their studies. Before Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem was replaced in her role on 5 March, she responded favourably to Senator Eric Schmitt’s November 2025 letter calling for OPT to be reformed or ended. "DHS has indicated it intends to re-evaluate practical training regulatory requirements for foreign student visa holders through a rulemaking," said the Secretary. "The rule would propose to amend existing practical training regulations to protect US workers from being displaced by foreign nationals, address fraud and national security concerns, and enhance the Student and Exchange Visitor Program's capacity to oversee the program." The momentum for a rule change stems from a belief in some circles that the current OPT framework takes jobs from US workers, among other assertions.

( Several research studies have found the exact opposite to be true.) Recent F-1 visa data suggests that OPT’s possible termination is already having an effect on international student demand for study in the US – especially in some of the most important overseas markets for US institutions. ## A strategic pillar of US recruitment The OPT programme is increasingly popular – especially because STEM students can receive a total of three years of work due to their specialisation (regular OPT allows for only one year). Participation in the STEM OPT stream grew +54% in 2024/25 compared with the previous year. According Mirka Martel, the Institute of International Education’s (IIE) head of research, OPT is an “essential component of an international student’s academic experience" (which is why the organisation includes OPT numbers in its annual Open Doors report on international student numbers in the US).

Keystone Education Group research suggests that OPT may be the “strategic pillar and key stabiliser of US recruitment.” The firm found that 86% of international prospects consider staying in the US and working after graduation. ## Visas plummet -36% Leading up to the 2025/26 intake for US institutions, a series of events disrupted international student recruitment. The Trump administration suspended visa interviews at US consulates in May 2025, which lasted for almost a month; revoked thousands of student visas; and it warned of upcoming policies to curb the duration of student visas and post-study rights for international students. In the key summer recruiting window, President Trump also revived the travel ban preventing nationals of some countries from entering the US (and then extended it in December 2025 to 39 countries).