India’s undergraduate applications to US colleges have dropped sharply, with new Common App data showing a 14% decline through the November 1 deadline for the 2025–26 admissions cycle.

The fall marks one of the most significant year-on-year contractions among major international source countries, signalling a cooling of interest at a time when global mobility patterns appear to be shifting.

The decline is part of a broader retreat in international applications across the Common App system, which recorded a 9% drop in foreign applicants overall. This contrasts sharply with a 7% rise in domestic U.S. applicants during the same period.

Asia and Africa drive global downturn

The slide in Indian applicants led a regional contraction across Asia, which saw a 9% decline overall. The Common App noted that “this decline was driven by a substantial 14% drop in applicants from India.” Africa recorded an even steeper fall of 18%, fuelled by a dramatic 43% drop from Ghana.

Of the ten highest-volume international countries, only Vietnam and Uzbekistan posted growth. Other key contributors—including China, which remains the largest sender of international applicants — also registered declines.

The contraction spanned all levels of institutional selectivity, with the largest drops seen at colleges admitting 50–74% of applicants and those with admit rates above 75%.

Domestic demand strengthens despite global dip

Even as international numbers fell, the Common App platform saw overall growth. A total of 962,284 distinct first-year applicants applied to 916 returning member institutions—up 5% from last year. Total applications jumped 10% to 4.71 million, and the average number of applications per student rose to 4.9.

Applications surged among several US demographic groups:

·        Black or African American applicants: +16%

·        Applicants identifying as Two or More Races: +11%

·        First-generation applicants: +12%

·        Fee-waiver-eligible applicants: +10%

Rural applicants recorded particularly strong growth at 15%, compared to 6% from metropolitan areas.

Shifts in testing behavior

Test score reporting also changed. The number of applicants submitting scores increased by 11%, while non-reporters declined by 1%. First-generation, underrepresented minority and fee-waiver-eligible students continued to report scores at lower rates, though reporting rose across all groups.

International fall sharper than previous cycle

The Common App noted that the current year’s international decline represents an acceleration from the previous cycle, when foreign applicants had increased by 5% through the same November 1 deadline.

Key international changes:

·        India: –14%

·        Asia overall: –9%

·        Africa: –18%

·        Ghana: –43%

·        Vietnam: Increase

·        Uzbekistan: Increase

The data suggests a shifting global admissions landscape — one where US domestic demand continues to rise even as international pathways undergo a recalibration.