In a decision that could deeply impact Indian students, US President Donald Trump has introduced a new rule limiting international student admissions in American universities.
Under the new policy, universities in the US can now admit only 15% of their total intake from foreign countries. More significantly, a single university can accept just 5% of students from any one nation.
The move directly affects India and China, which send some of the largest numbers of students to the US. In 2025 alone, around 3,31,602 Indian students pursued higher education in the United States a figure that has steadily grown each year.
For many Indian families, studying in the US remains a matter of pride and aspiration. With strong interest in Ivy League institutions and other reputed universities, Indian students have also become a major source of revenue for American colleges, paying higher fees than domestic students.
According to recent surveys, one in four international students in the US is from India. With this new restriction, thousands of aspiring students may have to look for alternative destinations for higher studies.
The rule marks another significant policy shift that could reshape global student mobility and may especially challenge Indian households planning overseas education in the years ahead.
