Over 64,000 more Indians were studying in the US in 2022 than the previous year, while the number of Chinese students in the country dropped, according to new immigration data.

While still not nearing the 2018/19 peak of over 136,000 scholars, the number of international scholars in the US has increased year-on-year by 6% to 90,891 for the 2021/22 year, new data has revealed.

President Biden’s meeting with his Chinese counterpart suggests a softening of tensions that experts say could be an ‘important signal’ to Chinese students.

In the 2020/21 academic year, the total number of US students who studied abroad for academic credit declined by 91%, according to new Open Doors data.

International students contributed some $33.8 billion and supported more than 335,000 jobs across the US in the 2021/22 academic year, NAFSA has calculated.

Total international student numbers in the US show a healthy near-return to pre-pandemic levels, as new enrolments “soared” by 80% year-on-year, new Open Doors data suggests.

Some 85,538 international scholars went to study the US in 2021 according to Open Doors data, signalling a 30% fall and a dip below 100,000 for the first time since 2006.

Education organisations in the US are urging the government to develop a strategy to increase international enrolment and exchanges to pre-Covid levels.