Hyderabad: About two lakh Indians studied in the United States last year, most of them from Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, according to US Consul General (Hyderabad) Joel Reifman.
One in four Telugu families has had a U.S. commitment, mostly through higher education in America, said Reifman, who participated in the launch of the second EducationUSA center in the city on Friday.
‘Nearly two lakh Indians studied in the US last year, and many of them come from this area. “In fact, more students in the US come from this part of India, especially the two states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, than any other part of the country,” he said.
Regarding the visa situation at the US Consulate, Reifman said it was challenging for everyone last year as international and domestic travel are hampered due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Many people who planned to study abroad had to adjust or delay these plans. Higher education institutions in the US have opened and closed in response to the seriousness of the Covid-19 threat. But U.S. visa policy has remained constant, he said, adding that the United States still welcomes all qualified Indian students to study in America.
“We have made priority with student visa arrangements and have done our best to ensure that students arrive at their campuses on time,” he said.
Strong demand for student visas
Public Affairs Officer at the U.S. Consulate General (Hyderabad), David Moyer, said nearly three-quarters of student visa applicants received visas between September 2020 and March 2021.
“Since the reopening, the demand for available student visa agreements at the US Consulate General Hyderabad has been strong. A significant number of student visa applicants have postponed the fall of 2020 to the spring of 2021 due to the pandemic. That is why we believe we will continue to see an increase in Indian students applying for visas and traveling to the US to pursue higher education, ‘Moyer added.
Source: Telangana Today