Student Visa Day: US Embassy welcomes Indian students

U.S. Ambassador Richard R. Verma in Delhi and Consuls General throughout India congratulated the day’s applicants as they joined the growing ranks of Indian students who choose to study in the United States.

In the 2013-2014 academic year, nearly 103,000 Indian students were enrolled in U.S. institutions of higher education, making them the second largest group of foreign students in the United States after China. 

U.S. student visa applications are up 60 percent across India this year.

“Indian students are a great asset to United States universities and colleges.  Both countries benefit greatly when our students study and learn together,”  Verma said.

The U.S. Embassy and the Consulates treated Student Visa Day applicants to an informative morning in a festive, collegiate atmosphere. 

Consular staff members dressed in their school colors.  Some Consulates played music – from college songs to pop music. 

Representatives from partners, including the United States-India Educational Foundation, the American Library, and recent U.S. graduates, were present to answers questions from students about life as a student in the United States.  

“It has been an honor to meet India’s future leaders today at Student Visa Day.  I am continually impressed by the caliber of Indian students that I meet, and amazed by what they contribute to both India and the world,” Verma remarked after talking with student visa applicants in Delhi.

Student Visa Day is an annual event in U.S. Mission India, which is excited to help qualified Indian students reach their educational goals by choosing to pursue an education in the United States.

Thousands of students from India choose U.S. higher educational institutions for their academic excellence, cutting-edge technology, extensive support services for international students, generous funding opportunities, wide variety of educational options, flexible curricula and hands-on training and work experience (OPT and CPT) opportunities.

There are nearly 9,000 colleges, universities, and vocational schools in the United States that are certified to enroll international students. The United States welcomes international students, recognizing the way they enrich our classrooms and our communities. 

Currently, there are over 886,000 international students studying in the United States, an 8% increase over the prior year. The nearly 103,000 Indian students represent the second largest foreign nationality studying in the United States. 

The U.S. Embassy and Consulates in India congratulated all of Indian students who received their visas on Thursday