Fewer Indian students opt for America

Washington, Nov 13: Amid an all-time high international education exchanges, fewer Indian students are coming to America, while there is a surge of Chinese and Saudi students while more American students are going to India.

The number of students coming to America from India dropped for the second successive year, according to the annual "Open Doors" survey of international students in US.

Published by the Institute of International Education in partnership with the US State Department, the report shows 100,270 Indian students in the US in 2011-12, a four per cent drop from previous year, after the number peaked at around 105,000 in 2009. 

The top five countries from where the US is hosting international students are China, India, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, and Canada. The number of students from China shot up from 157,558 in 2010-11 to 194,029 in 2011-12, registering a 23 per cent increase and Saudi Arabia recorded a big 50 per cent surge.

The study says factors behind the decline in the numbers from countries such as India and Japan may include global and home country economic issues, growing higher education opportunities at home, and stronger employment opportunities at home after graduation.