Currency collapse and visa crackdowns are forcing Indian students to rethink studying abroad
For many years, studying abroad has been a dream for many Indian students looking for better job opportunities. But a combination of stricter visa rules, weaker labor markets, and a lower rupee are making that dream more difficult to achieve.According to education experts, Indian students face financial uncertainty as traditional destinations like the US, UK, Canada and Australia tighten immigration policies and offer fewer job opportunities after graduation.Sudhanshu Kaushik, founder of the North American Association of Indian Students in Washington, said many students find that the reality abroad differs from their expectations.“They arrive hoping to get skilled jobs in the fields for which they were trained, and they end up working in the gig economy,” Kaushik told the BBC. “Earlier, this work helped finance their education. Now many of them graduate and work full-time.”India remains the world’s largest source of international students, with more than 1.2 million Indians enrolling in higher education institutions abroad in 2025.Sushil Sukhwani, founder of Edwise International, said the number of students in the UK and US has already declined significantly.
“The market is clearly showing signs of slowing down. We have already seen enrollments in the UK and US fall by 20% over the past two years, and I expect a further 10-15% decline from those levels in the future,” he said.Stricter visa regulations play a major role. In the UK, 76% of universities reported a decline in enrollment rates for Indian students during January. In the United States, enrollment rates fell by about 7% between February 2025 and February 2026.Despite the challenges, demand for international education remains generally strong. However, experts warn that countries such as the US and UK risk losing one of their most important student groups.“Currency depreciation, the labor market, the rise of artificial intelligence, visa issues and the mainstream [Donald Trump] All of the administration’s policies have combined to create a perfect storm. “Nobody wins,” Kaushik said.“Students are suffering, universities are suffering, college towns are suffering, and the broader economy is suffering.”“We are rolling back the gains we have made in promoting higher education as one of our most influential and profitable forms of soft power,” he added.
