The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) has released its 2024 “SEVIS by the Numbers” report, revealing a record-breaking 32,788 active F-1 and M-1 SEVIS records for Nepali students in the United States during calendar year 2024. This figure, comprising 42% female (13,771) and 58% male (19,017) student records, includes all Nepali students active at any point in 2024, such as those who started, graduated, or completed programs like Optional Practical Training (OPT). It does not necessarily represent those simultaneously or currently enrolled.
According to data from the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) for January 2025, the number of Nepali students currently studying in the United States reached 16,933, consisting of 10,430 male and 6,503 female students. This number shows a decrease compared to January 2024, when it was 20,153, after having increased to a peak of 23,435 in March 2024.
The Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs reports that 13,187 Nepali students were granted F-1 visas in fiscal year 2024, more than double the 6,203 issued in 2023, significantly fueling this growth. The 32,788 Nepali student SEVIS records in 2024 represent a 42.3% increase from 23,043 in 2023 and a 61.2% surge from 20,344 in 2022, positioning Nepal as the seventh-largest source of foreign student records in the U.S.
Nepali students continue to show a particular interest in fields such as science, technology, engineering, management, and aviation training for higher education. They are enrolled in various levels of education, with notable numbers in undergraduate (7,441), graduate (4,666), and PhD programs (3,140). Additionally, 153 Nepali students came to the U.S. for language training, while 72 students are enrolled in aviation schools. Nepali students are also present in vocational schools and other specialized programs.
Texas has emerged as a significant hub for Nepali students, with 3,416 students currently studying there. Other states with a substantial presence of Nepali students include New York (956), Ohio (842), Minnesota (738), Kentucky (696), Illinois (546), California (514), Missouri (473), and Pennsylvania (420).
Beyond Nepali students, the report highlights broader trends in foreign student enrollment. The total number of active F-1 and M-1 student SEVIS records in calendar year 2024 reached 1,582,808, marking a 5.3% increase from 2023. While growth continued, this rate was slower than the 10.4% increase observed between 2022 and 2023.
Foreign students in the U.S. in 2024 originated from 229 countries and pursued 1,461 different primary majors. All four U.S. regions saw an increase in foreign student records from 2023 to 2024, with the South experiencing the highest growth at 8.5%. California remained the top host state, accounting for 14.6% (237,763) of foreign student records.
In 2024, there were 7,234 SEVP-certified schools in the United States, a decrease of 183 from the previous year. Of these, 86.0% (6,218) were certified to enroll only F-1 students, 6.7% (486) for M-1 students, and 7.3% (530) for both. Notably, eight schools, including New York University, Northeastern University, and Columbia University, each enrolled over 15,000 foreign students.
Approximately 91% of all foreign students in 2024 were enrolled in an SEVP-certified associate, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral program. The total number of degrees pursued in higher education by foreign students increased by 81,904 from 2023, reaching 1,434,748 in 2024. Master’s degrees constituted the largest share at 46.5% (667,622), followed by bachelor’s at 32.4% (464,843), doctoral at 15% (214,824), and associate degrees at 6.1% (87,459). The most popular primary majors in higher education included Computer Science (118,137), Second Language Learning (95,747), and Business Administration and Management, General (88,257).
The report also detailed K-12 foreign student enrollment, which saw a slight decrease from 54,558 in 2023 to 54,356 in 2024. China remained the leading country of origin for K-12 students, representing 26.7% (14,515) of that population.
Geographically, Asia continued to be the primary continent of origin, with 1,134,953 active foreign student SEVIS records, accounting for 71.7% of the total foreign student population. This was largely driven by increases from India, which saw 44,715 more students. Conversely, the number of active F-1 and M-1 student SEVIS records from Europe decreased by 1,696 from 2023 to 2024. In terms of gender, 44.5% (703,744) of F-1 and M-1 foreign students in 2024 were female, while 55.5% (878,121) were male.
According to the 2024 Open Doors Report, the U.S. set a new record by welcoming 1.13 million international students. During the 2023-24 academic year, 16,742 Nepali students enrolled in U.S. universities, making Nepal the 10th largest source country for international students in the U.S.
This report indicates a 10.9% increase in Nepali students compared to the previous year, representing 1.5% of the total international student population in the U.S. Historical data shows fluctuating numbers for Nepali students in the U.S. in previous academic years: 15,090 in 2022-23, 11,799 in 2021-22, 11,172 in 2020-21, 12,730 in 2019-20, 13,299 in 2018-19, 13,270 in 2017-18, and 11,607 in 2016-17.
Optional Practical Training (OPT), STEM OPT, and Curricular Practical Training (CPT) remain significant components of the foreign student experience. In 2024, 194,554 foreign students obtained work authorization through OPT, and 95,384 through STEM OPT, representing increases of 21% and 54% respectively from 2023. CPT saw a minor decrease of 0.4% with 130,586 participants. The total number of unique foreign student SEVIS records with practical training work authorization reached 381,140 in 2024. Top employers for these programs included major tech companies like Amazon, Google, Microsoft, and Meta, as well as academic institutions and other large corporations.
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Kishor Panthi
View More PostsKishor Panthi is the founder and editor-in-chief of Khasokhas and NepYork. He is the author of three books, “Kampan,” "UNTRANSLATABLE" and “Zero Mile.” He writes about social issues, immigration, and politics.
