The number of US student visas issued to Indian nationals during the peak admission season dropped 62% in 2025 compared with the previous year, according to data analysed by the Center for Immigration Studies, an American anti-immigration think tank. The decline comes as the Donald Trump administration has tightened screening for international students and introduced stricter immigration measures affecting F-1 visa applicants. The report argues that lower visa issuance could benefit American students and strengthen US national security.Also Read| US-bound students face more paperwork, shorter deadlines under Trump's new immigration ruleStudents from India and China remain the largest international student groups in the United States. During the 2024-25 academic year, India had 363,019 students in US higher education institutions, while China had 265,919. Together, they accounted for 53% of the country's international student population of 1.17 million, according to the Institute of International Education (IIE).Sharp decline in F-1 visasAccording to the analysis, the US issued 22,149 F-1 visas to Indian nationals between May and August 2025, the period when most student visas are granted before the start of an academic year. That was down 62% from 58,694 visas issued during the same period in 2024 and 60% below the average recorded between 2017-19 and 2021-24.Chinese nationals received 40,034 F-1 visas during the same period, down 34% from 61,075 in 2024 and 46% below the multi-year average, the report said.The May-August period accounts for nearly three-fourths of annual student visa issuances for both Indian and Chinese students, making it the most important indicator of demand ahead of each academic year, according to the analysis.Also Read| Trump's new student visa rule could cost US economy up to $400 billion a yearTrump administration tightens student visa rulesThe decline in visa issuance coincides with several policy changes introduced by the Trump administration affecting international students.In May 2025, the US temporarily paused new student visa interview appointments worldwide before resuming them with expanded screening procedures. The administration also broadened mandatory social media vetting for F, M and J visa applicants, requiring applicants to make their social media profiles publicly accessible for review as part of national security checks.The administration has also taken action against specific universities. In June 2025, President Donald Trump signed a proclamation suspending the entry of new international students seeking to study at Harvard University under F, M and J visas, citing national security concerns. The measure became the subject of court challenges.More recently, the Department of Homeland Security finalised rules replacing the long-standing "duration of status" system with a fixed period of stay for F-1 students. Under the new rules, many international students will receive a four-year limit on their stay, after which extensions may be required in certain cases.The administration is also considering changes to the Optional Practical Training (OPT) programme, including a proposal that could impose a $100,000 fee on international graduates seeking to work in the United States after completing their studies. The proposal has not yet been finalised.Check out our complete guide on immigrating to the USOPT programme at the centre of debateFishman's analysis links the decline in student visas to concerns over the Optional Practical Training (OPT) programme.According to the report, 294,253 international graduates were working in the United States under OPT during the 2024-25 academic year. Indian nationals accounted for 143,740 of them, while 61,981 were from China, together making up about 70% of all OPT participants.OPT allows international graduates to work in the US for up to 12 months after completing their studies, while graduates in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields can extend their work authorisation by another 24 months.The report argues that OPT creates an uneven labour market because employers hiring OPT participants are not subject to the same wage requirements that apply to H-1B workers and also receive payroll tax exemptions on those employees. The author says this gives employers a financial incentive to hire foreign graduates over American graduates.Also Read| US OPT programme explained: How Trump's $100,000 fee could hit international studentsNational security concernsThe report also argues that lower student numbers from China could reduce espionage and technology theft risks on American campuses.It cites statements by former US officials and government reports that describe the People's Republic of China as using overseas students and researchers to support technology acquisition and military development. The author argues that reducing the number of Chinese students studying in sensitive fields would strengthen US national security.Why the numbers matterThe report concludes that a sustained fall in student visas issued to Indian and Chinese nationals would reduce the future pipeline of graduates entering the OPT programme while also addressing security concerns raised by US officials. It says the changes could reshape the flow of international students into American universities if lower visa issuance continues in the coming years.