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 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.