Indian students still find America great despite 'MAGA' talk

The US remains the top destination for Indians aspiring to study abroad, notwithstanding the consternation in the minds of parents and students caused by the return of the 'Make America Great Again' campaign with its allegedly exclusionary posture.

The US will continue to draw Indian students for reasons that include being home to world-class institutes offering considerable research and career opportunities, programmes like optional practical training for STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) students and the H-1B visa option, study abroad consultants told ET.

The MAGA (Make America Great Again) rhetoric that some interpret as against foreigners and the evolving political discourse in the US, especially surrounding issues of immigration and stricter visa rules with Donald Trump's return, are raising concerns for Indian students. But experts say this would be short lived.

Collegify, a study abroad platform, has seen a 25% rise in its users who go to the US for studies in the last one year, said cofounder Adarsh Khandelwal. This is driven by increasing availability of scholarship and post-study work opportunities, he said. "Political shifts could lead to short-term challenges but the overall impact is expected to be minimal in the long term," said Khandelwal.

In case OPT (optional practical training) becomes a political target, it could reduce the appeal of the US for higher education among international students, said experts. "However, shifts in policy (including OPT) often take time to implement," said Khandelwal. Nikhil Jain, founder of another study abroad platform ForeignAdmits, also made a similar comment. "This (MAGA movement) might cause some short-term nervousness; the reality is quite different on ground," he said.

More than 4,000 Indian students joined 2024 academic sessions at US colleges using the ForeignAdmits platform, said Jain. "For the 2025 academic session, already 3,700 students have got admissions in US colleges. We are confident of crossing 7,000 students despite the current political discussions," he claimed.

Post-study work (PSW) is a key driver to those interested in a student destination, said Ravi Lochan, managing director at education consultancy Global Reach. "We witnessed a drastic fall in interest in the UK in 2012 when PSW was removed. If the OPT is removed or reduced in the US, it will make America a less desired student destination," said Singh.

In recent months, Singh said, the Green Card process in the US has become time-consuming and more of a lottery. Singh said he is advising his clients to "wait and watch". "Historically, political shifts have had minimal impact on the demand for US education, as students and their families prioritise the long-term benefits of academic excellence and global career opportunities," said Career Mosaic founder Abhijit Zaveri.