Hyderabad: After a dismal Fall intake, the Jan cycle also disappointed consultants, with overseas student numbers continuing to decline. Traditionally, nearly 30% of students depart for the United States and Canada in Jan and Feb after Fall. The subdued season followed what many described as the worst Fall in decades, with applications dropping by nearly 70%.“We sent only 300 students this time, compared to 1,400 earlier,” said Arvind Manduva from I20 Fever. “Unlike Fall, visa slot issues and rejections were not major problems. Nearly 70% of applications secured visas. Slots were limited, but so were applicants,” he said.Consultants noted that while numbers dipped, the profiles of the students applying improved. “Canada slowed because of changing rules, so we processed fewer applications. But students going to the US secured better colleges and scholarships,” said Ankit Jain of One Window Overseas Education Consultancy. “Earlier, most applications were for Tier 2 and Tier 3 institutions. This time, more went to Tier 1. The US seems to be focusing on quality students,” he added. His consultancy processed around 230 applications this cycle, compared to 400–500 earlier.Several students withdrew plans amid cost and policy uncertainty. “I secured admission to a university in the US for Spring, but decided to defer and reassess next year,” said Rohan (name changed), a city-based engineering graduate. According to figures from the ministry of home affairs, more than 9 lakh students went overseas in 2023, falling to 7.7 lakh in 2024 and 6.2 lakh in 2025, nearly 3 lakh fewer in two years.Consultants also observed a shift towards Europe. “We are seeing increased enquiries for Germany, France and Ireland,” said Alisha Budhani from Abbaccy Global Group. They are also getting queries for South Korea, Netherlands and Japan. “Students perceive these countries as relatively stable in visa policies and post-study work options, so many are exploring alternatives instead of focusing only on North America,” she added. Consultants said enquiries remain cautious, with families weighing returns on investment, currency fluctuations and employment prospects before committing to overseas education plans.
