Dramatic Decline in Visas Issued to Chinese and Indian Students Under Trump

The number of student visas issued to Chinese and Indian applicants has dropped dramatically since the Trump administration began its crackdown on foreign college and university applicants last year, according to a new study.

Forty-six percent fewer F-1 student visas were issued to Chinese applicants by the State Department in May through August in 2025 compared to the same period in 2017, according to the Washington-based think tank, the Center for Immigration Studies. Among Indian students, visas were down 60%.

Chinese and Indian students make up more than half — 53% — of all foreign students enrolled in U.S.-based higher education institutions. The decline is a significant portion of the overall number of foreign students entering the country for educational purposes, CIS senior legal fellow George Fishman wrote in an analysis released Tuesday.

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