India’s undergraduate applications to US colleges fall sharply as Common App data shows 14 percent decline
India’s undergraduate applications to U.S. colleges dropped 14% in the Common App’s 2025–26 cycle, one of the sharpest declines among major international sources. Overall international applications fell 9%, driven by decreases across Asia and Africa, including a 43% drop from Ghana. Only Vietnam and Uzbekistan saw growth. Meanwhile, domestic applicants rose 7%, with increases among Black, first-generation, fee-waiver-eligible, and rural students. Test-score reporting also climbed, even as underrepresented groups remained less likely to submit scores.
India’s undergraduate applications to U.S. colleges dropped 14% in the Common App’s 2025–26 cycle, one of the sharpest declines among major international sources. Overall international applications fell 9%, driven by decreases across Asia and Africa, including a 43% drop from Ghana. Only Vietnam and Uzbekistan saw growth. Meanwhile, domestic applicants rose 7%, with increases among Black, first-generation, fee-waiver-eligible, and rural students. Test-score reporting also climbed, even as underrepresented groups remained less likely to submit scores.
