Indian applications to US colleges fell 14% in the 2025-26 admissions cycle through March 1, one of the sharper declines among major source countries, as the number of international students applying through Common App dropped 9% overall. The decline contrasts with a 3% rise in domestic US applicants during the same period.India, however, remains a major source of students for US colleges. It had 13,819 first-year applicants on Common App through March 1, making it the second-largest international applicant market after China, according to the Common App's latest deadline update.The data provides an early picture of international demand for US undergraduate education in the current admissions cycle. Common App's figures cover 911 institutions that have maintained membership on the platform for the five most recent years, allowing it to compare application trends across admission cycles.Also Read| America sold the world a dream — and kept millions chasing itIndia sees 14% drop in applicantsThe number of applicants from India fell to 13,819 from around 16,000 at the same point in the previous admissions cycle. Common App said India has historically had the second-highest number of international applicants on its platform, behind China.China remained the biggest international source country with 17,898 applicants, down 3% from a year earlier. Other large source markets also recorded declines: Ghana fell 34%, Ethiopia 29%, Nigeria 17%, Canada 13%, Pakistan 4% and South Korea 4%. Uzbekistan was among the few large source markets to record growth, rising 3%.India's decline also weighed on numbers from Asia, the largest region for international applicants on the platform. Applicants from Asia fell 10% year on year to 74,833 after several years of growth.International applications weaken globallyThe pullback extends well beyond India.Common App recorded 138,127 international applicants through March 1, down 9% from 151,848 at the same stage of the 2024-25 cycle. In comparison, the number of domestic applicants increased 3% to 1,291,620 from 1,248,203.Africa recorded the biggest regional decline, with applicant numbers falling 16%. Asia was down 10%, Europe fell 5% and Oceania declined 2%. The Americas moved in the opposite direction, with applicants increasing 4%.Some countries also recorded sharp increases despite the broader international decline. Applicants from Venezuela rose 129% and those from Honduras increased 55%.Common App said the decline in international applicants, which it had identified in its 2024-25 end-of-season report, has intensified during the current application cycle.Also Read| The American Dream now comes with a survival guideInternational decline cuts across US collegesThe weakness is not limited to a particular category of US institution.International applications declined across every college selectivity band tracked by Common App. The largest falls were at institutions with higher admission rates.International applications to colleges admitting 75% or more of applicants dropped 21%, while applications to institutions with admission rates between 50% and 74% fell 19%. Applications to colleges with admission rates between 25% and 49% declined 7%, while those to the most selective institutions, with admission rates below 25%, fell 1%.Overall US college applications continue to growThe decline in international demand comes even as overall application activity on Common App continues to expand.A total of 1,429,747 first-year applicants had applied to the 911 returning Common App institutions through March 1, up 2% from 1,400,051 at the same stage last year.Those students submitted 9,423,621 applications, a 5% increase from 8,977,626 a year earlier. The average number of applications submitted by each applicant also increased 3%, from 6.41 to 6.59.Applications to public and private colleges both increased 5% overall. By selectivity, total application growth ranged from 3% at institutions admitting fewer than 25% of applicants to 6% at institutions with admission rates between 25% and 49%.The figures suggest that the broader US college application market tracked by Common App is still growing, while international demand has weakened. The data covers applications submitted through March 1 and does not represent final admissions or enrolment numbers.