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London, November, 2025: For years, the United States has been the preferred destination for Indian students, but the scale and shape of that movement has changed. According to the latest Open Doors 2025 report , India now dominates the landscape. Indian students make up nearly a third of all international enrolments in the US, reaching 363,019 in 2024/25, a year-on-year increase of 9.5 per cent
The first noticeable shift is where the ambition is coming from. It is no longer only the metros filling the international classrooms. Prodigy Finance’s own student data shows a clear rise in applicants from Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, a trend we have tracked consistently over the past two years. Students from places such as Indore, Bhubaneswar, Punjab, Surat, Coimbatore, Mysuru, Nagpur and across parts of Northeast India are now applying in far greater numbers than before. Many come from families of teachers, small business owners and mid career professionals, and their share of US bound applications is growing faster than that of the major metros. The aspiration has widened, and so have the routes available to students.
The pull of the US remains clear, even as students consider multiple destinations. Across all nationalities, the country hosted 1,177,766 international students in 2024 and 2025, up by 4.5 per cent. India stands out further because of its academic choices: 43.4 per cent of Indian students are in mathematics and computer science, and 22.8 per cent in engineering, according to Open Doors and India-specific datasets. Seven in ten Indians in the US now sit in STEM classrooms. That concentration has kept demand steady even as new enrolments globally show mixed patterns.
Another shift is visible in the way Indian students are using work linked pathways in the United States. Optional Practical Training has become central to this transition. According to the US Department of Homeland Security OPT is the main bridge for international graduates entering the American workforce. The Open Doors 2025 India data points to rising participation among Indian postgraduates, particularly those in STEM programmes where extended OPT periods are available. A larger share of Indian master’s and doctoral graduates are choosing to remain in the US through OPT to gain early professional experience and strengthen their long term career prospects before moving to routes such as the H 1B or other work categories.
Sonal Kapoor, Global Chief Business Officer at Prodigy Finance, says the shift is visible in the questions students ask. “Students still see the United States as the place where academic depth meets career possibility. Even when they explore countries like the UK, Germany, Australia or the UAE, the American option sits at the centre. What has changed is who is applying. We’re hearing from students in smaller cities who have done their research, understand the timelines and are much more informed about STEM pathways, OPT and financing.”
She adds that this change is reflected in application patterns for Spring. “Demand has been strong enough that we opened our Spring 2026 cycle earlier than usual. Students are planning ahead, and the Spring pathway is becoming a serious alternative to the traditional fall intake”
Despite rising interest in other destinations, the academic draw of the US remains unchanged. States such as California, New York, Texas, Massachusetts and Illinois continue to be some of the most picked destinations by Indian students.
Taken as a whole, these shifts sketch out a more grounded American dream. It begins in smaller cities, takes shape in STEM courses and early work experience, and relies on clearer steps into life after university. The appeal of the US is familiar, yet the students powering this growth represent a changing India confident, broad-based and focused on building a future that matches their ambition.
