Many Indian students who aspire to study abroad are at a crossroads after the Trump administration increased the scrutiny for issuing student visas. The U.S. is currently taking measures to collect more information from the social media accounts of foreign student visa applicants. It was announced that foreign students applying for a visa must unlock their social media accounts for government review. This condition is extended to all individuals applying for an F, M, or J non-immigrant visa.
As these visa rules unfold, students weigh their options in the study abroad market. SEVIS data shows the number of Indian students in the U.S. declining from 2024 to 2025, whereas the number of Indian students enrolling in German universities increased by approximately 67.77% from 2022 to 2025. Taiwan also emerges as a choice for STEM students. The number of Indians going to Russia has increased by 59.1% in 2025 when compared to the figures in 2022.
The professor of practice in the Department of Educational Leadership and Higher Education at Boston College, Chris R Glass, writes on his substack, “I ran an analysis that compares SEVIS data from March 2024 and March 2025. The most dramatic shift is the 27.9 percent decline in Indian students. “
Germany’s incentives for international students
Roshita Bugatha, a first-year student of the University of Europe in Potsdam, Berlin, says, “Availing of student visas in the U.S. has become tedious. In Germany, you will receive a “Resident Permit” card within one year of availing of a student visa. You get work visas for one and a half years, which is way better than the U.S.”
Talking about why she chose Germany over the U.S., Ms. Bugatha says, “The government supports the unemployed by taking care of their rent, insurance, and providing a certain amount for survival. In the United States, the current situation is bad as jobs are not guaranteed.”
For many years, European countries served as a second option for those who failed to get into institutions in the United States. Germany is now emerging as a popular destination for Indian students, with the number of enrollments into German universities increasing by 67.77% from 2022 to 2025. The Lok Sabha unstarred question from March 2025 shows that 34,702 Indian students went to Germany as opposed to 20,684 in 2022.
This trend has, however, not dawned right now. Tanay Lunkad was preparing for the SAT exams and aiming to study in the United States soon after his Class 12 in 2016. But he changed his mind when he learnt that universities in Germany offer programmes in the English language. He has now completed his master’s degree in Sustainable Management at RWTH Aachen University and is currently working in a tech company in Germany.
To encourage the intake of international students, Germany offers various courses in the English language. It has also introduced programs in a combination of English and German under a flexible system. Students can opt for learning German in any of the semesters desired by them. Apart from it, various scholarship programs are being offered in the universities that encourage students to learn the German language along with the rich history of Germany.
Mr. Lunkad said that the STEM courses have seen an uptick in Germany, as it has a strong foothold in the realms of manufacturing and technology sectors. In recent times, it has attempted to increase its footprint in finance and commerce.
“The education imparted in the German institutions is more practical when compared to the Indian education system. Our premier institutions, namely IITs, are on par with the universities here. Otherwise, we are more theoretical in our framework. This is the main difference between the two education systems,” says Mr. Lunkad.
Other destinations
The other countries that emerged as the favourite destinations for Indian students are France and New Zealand, according to a report by Arpan Tulsyan, Senior Fellow at the Observer Research Foundation. In 2025, an upward trend was registered when compared with the figures of 2022. The unstarred Lok Sabha question shows that the total number of Indian students in 2022 for New Zealand was 1605, which went up to 7297 in the current year. Likewise, the cumulative figure for France in 2022 was 1605 against 8536 in 2025, as per the Lok Sabha unstarred question from March this year.
“Although European countries such as France and Germany offer programs in English to attract international students, the job market acts quite differently. Preferences are given to those who are fluent in German or French, as it is considered important to integrate and socialise in the workplace”, says Mr. Lunkad.
Students have started learning German and French before visiting these countries. “The clamour for these new destinations arises from Tier One and Tier Two cities. A majority of the crowd is drawn from states such as Kerala, Karnataka, Gujarat, and Maharashtra,” said Sumit Bothra, an education consultant.
“The popular courses in these countries are Engineering, Medicine, Finance, and Marketing. France is not a sought-after destination for STEM students and witnesses a student crowd for their Master’s in business administration at their premier institutions. Engineering and production are sought-after jobs in Germany,” says Mr. Bothra.
New Zealand and Taiwan
The Lok Sabha documents of unstarred questions show that New Zealand witnessed a jump of 354.7% when compared to the figures during 2022. “It is a new place filled with plenty of job opportunities. The tuition fees are equivalent to those charged by the U.S. institutions,” says Sumit Bothra, Education Consultant.
The tuition fees for an undergraduate course in New Zealand is $ 35,000 to $55,000 per year, as per the government-owned web portal Study in New Zealand. The tuition fees in the U.S. for a bachelor’s degree are $30,780 for public institutions and $ 43,350 in private institutions, according to the College Board, a 120-year-old U.S.-based nonprofit that pioneered SAP and AP tests.
According to the web portal study-in-germany.org, the tuition fees in Germany hover around $ 22,970 for a bachelor’s degree. In France, the public institutions charge tuition fees around $ 3,273 and private institutions charge around $20,676, according to the web portal mastersportal.com. “The master programs are popular in New Zealand, and vast opportunities are available for our students who get absorbed in the market easily,” said Maria Charles, Education Consultant.
The other traditional education hubs, such as Singapore and Russia, still continue to serve as an option for Indian students. The number of Indians going to Russia has increased by 59.1% in 2025 when compared to the figures in 2022.
The emerging country in the bloc is Taiwan, which remains a favorite for STEM students. “A total of 3500 students are currently pursuing education at all levels in Taiwan,” Mr. Bothra says.
He adds, “The job market in Taiwan is thriving as they have a strong base for healthcare, manufacturing, and engineering production. Indian festivals are celebrated in Taiwan, as our students are culturally integrated, which is not possible in other traditional destinations like Japan, where language is the main barrier”.
