The U.S. Embassy in New Delhi, and Consulates General in Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Mumbai, organized “Student Visa Day” on May 28 dedicated to only processing student visa applications. U.S. Ambassador Richard R. Verma in Delhi and Consuls General throughout India congratulated the day’s applicants as they joined the growing ranks of Indian students who choose to study in the United States. Over 4000 student visa applications were processed over the course of the day at the Embassy and Consulates.
In the 2013-2014 academic year, nearly 103,000 Indian students were enrolled in U.S. institutions of higher education, making them the second largest group of foreign students in the United States after China.
U.S. student visa applications are up 60 percent across India this year – with 90,000 applications in the last twelve months. While students can apply anytime throughout the year, the U.S. Embassy and Consulates decided to create a special day just for students to welcome them to the United States. The vast majority of student visa applications are approved.
“Indian students are a great asset to United States universities and colleges. Both countries benefit greatly when our students study and learn together,” Ambassador Verma said.
The U.S. Embassy and the Consulates treated Student Visa Day applicants to an informative morning in a festive, collegiate atmosphere. Consular staff members dressed in their school colors. Some Consulates played music – from college songs to pop music. Representatives from partners, including the United States-India Educational Foundation, the American Library, and recent U.S. graduates, were present to answers questions from students about life as a student in the United States.
“It has been an honor to meet India’s future leaders today at Student Visa Day. I am continually impressed by the caliber of Indian students that I meet, and amazed by what they contribute to both India and the world,” Ambassador Verma remarked after talking with student visa applicants in Delhi.
Student Visa Day is an annual event in U.S. Mission India, which is excited to help qualified Indian students reach their educational goals by choosing to pursue an education in the United States.
FACTSHEET
Thousands of bright, ambitious students from India choose U.S. higher educational institutions for their academic excellence, cutting-edge technology, extensive support services for international students, generous funding opportunities, wide variety of educational options, flexible curricula and hands-on training and work experience (OPT and CPT) opportunities.
There are nearly 9,000 colleges, universities, and vocational schools in the United States that are certified to enroll international students. The United States welcomes international students, recognizing the way they enrich our classrooms and our communities. Currently, there are over 886,000 international students studying in the United States, an 8% increase over the prior year. The nearly 103,000 Indian students represent the second largest foreign nationality studying in the United States. The U.S. Embassy and Consulates in India congratulate all of Indian students who will receive their visas today!
Sampling of destination colleges and universities for today’s applicants:
- Purdue University
- The University Of Vermont
- Columbia University
- American University
- The University of Texas at Arlington
- Michigan State University
- Lehigh University
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- University of Southern California
- Carnegie Mellon University
- Savannah College of Art and Design
- Texas A&M University
- Babson College
- University of Florida
- Georgia Institute of Technology
- Columbia University
- Everett Community College
- Harvard University
Indian Student Facts:
- Last year Indian students in the United States contributed $3.3 billion to the U.S. economy.
- The nearly 103,000 Indian students in the United States are more than double the number of students 15 years ago.
- Student visa applications across India increased 60 percent last year.
- Over the last 12 months, student visa applications doubled at the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in India, especially in Mumbai and Hyderabad, the two busiest posts for students.
- Prospective Indian students submitted more than 90,000 visa applications in the last 12 months.
- Consular officers approve the vast majority of student visa applications.
- 78% of Indian students opt to study Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields.
- Engineering is the most popular major, followed by computer science.
