For Indian students and families looking at the United States for higher education and work, the financial and immigration barriers are rising at both ends of the journey. The annual cost of attending more than a dozen US colleges has crossed $100,000. The pain might not end, even after graduation. If Trump administration's new proposal goes through, a $103,265 fee will be added to cap-subject H-1B petitions for graduates looking to stay and work in the US.
India remains the largest source of international students in the US, with 363,019 students recorded in the 2024-25 academic year. However, applications from India to US colleges fell 14% by February 2026, according to Common App data.
