US F-1 visa denials hit a decade high

In the fiscal year 2023-24, the U.S. saw a significant increase in denials of F-1 student visa applications. Out of 679,000 total applications, 279,000, or 41%, were rejected. This is the highest rejection rate in ten years. The previous year’s denial rate was 36%. The rise in visa denials comes even as the total number of applications has decreased slightly, dropping from 699,000 in the previous fiscal year. This trend contrasts with a peak of 856,000 applications in 2014-15. The number of granted F-1 visas also fell, with 401,000 issued in 2023-24, down from 445,000 the year before. The F-1 visa allows foreign students to attend academic institutions in the U.S. Data from the U.S. State Department indicates that the far more prevalent F-1 visa accounts for over 90% of student visas. A spokesperson stated that visa decisions are made case-by-case, following U.S. immigration laws. While specific country denial rates are not publicly available, reports indicate that the number of student visas issued to Indian applicants decreased by 38% in early 2024 compared to 2023. Indians make up a large group of international students, and recent data shows they are now the largest cohort in the U.S., with 331,000 students. The rise in F-1 visa rejections occurs against a backdrop of other countries, like Canada and the UK, imposing restrictions on international students. This has led to declines in international student enrollments in those countries as they seek to manage the challenges posed by increased student populations.