Overview

• International Trade Administration records show 41,540 Indian arrivals on F and M visas in August, the lowest August figure since 2020.
• Total recorded student entries reached about 313,138 for the month, a year‑over‑year decline of roughly 19%, with China down about 12% and South Korea down about 11%.
• The arrival counts come from U.S. Customs and Border Protection data that include returning students and exclude land crossings from Canada and Mexico, so they are not a direct measure of new enrollments.
• News reports link the declines to recent policy steps such as a temporary pause in student visa interview scheduling, expanded social‑media checks, and visa revocations tied to protest activity.
• Earlier State Department figures showed F‑1 visas issued to Indian applicants in March through May fell 27% year over year, signaling a weaker pipeline ahead of the fall term.