US's Fading Allure: International Students Seek Alternatives Amid Visa Uncertainty

New Delhi: The glitter of the United States, the Mecca of graduate management education (MBA) for decades, is now fading for international students, especially Indians. According to startling data from the'Prospective Students Survey 2026'released by the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), 63 per cent of students who wanted to go to the US in the first quarter of 2025 have dropped to just 52 per cent by the end of the year. The biggest hit has been in the Central and South Asian market, where the enthusiasm to apply fell directly from 72 per cent to 49 per cent. And visa rules became a barrier. The US's strict immigration policies and visa uncertainty are the main reasons behind this change in students'attitudes. Geopolitical tensions and changing government practices are now making students hesitant to invest heavily in the US. In contrast, the emerging educational hubs of Western Europe and Asia are becoming more attractive, where visa regulations are less lenient than before IDAC, even though they have become "more career-savvy than the CEOs of ROAC."