Core Findings

  • India’s 2024/25 Open Doors total was 363,019, compared with 265,919 for China—a difference of 97,100.
  • India had 81,759 more OPT participants and 57,663 more graduate students.
  • China had 38,448 more undergraduates and 3,874 more non-degree students.
  • The four component differences reconcile exactly to the 97,100 total gap.
  • India’s total increased by 31,417 in 2024/25 even though its graduate count fell by 18,675. Its OPT increase of 46,184 equaled 147.0% of the net increase arithmetically.

Total Population, Enrolled Levels and OPT

Open Doors adds undergraduate, graduate and non-degree students to people participating in Optional Practical Training, or OPT. The first three categories describe currently enrolled academic levels. OPT is post-completion practical training and is not a currently enrolled academic level.

The China–India headline comparison therefore combines current enrollment with a population at a later stage. A difference in the total does not reveal where the difference sits.

What Makes Up the 97,100 Gap?

CategoryChinaIndiaIndia minus China
Undergraduate78,58340,135−38,448
Graduate120,229177,892+57,663
Non-degree5,1261,252−3,874
OPT61,981143,740+81,759
Total265,919363,019+97,100
OPT and Graduate Categories Create India’s 97,100 LeadPositive values favor India; negative values favor China. The bridge is an arithmetic identity, not an explanation of student behavior.
+81,759OPT+57,663Graduate−38,448Undergraduate−3,874Non-degree+97,100Total

Source: Open Doors 2025 China and India fact sheets. The arithmetic identity does not establish preference or causation. Analysis: Howdy Education Insights.

Starting from zero, India’s OPT advantage adds 81,759 and its graduate advantage adds 57,663. China’s undergraduate advantage subtracts 38,448, and its non-degree advantage subtracts another 3,874:

81,759 + 57,663 − 38,448 − 3,874 = 97,100.

The comparison shows that India’s lead is concentrated in graduate study and especially OPT. China still reports a substantially larger undergraduate population. The headline total therefore does not describe the same mix of education stages in the two countries.

India’s Latest Increase Was Not Broad Graduate Growth

CategoryIndia 2023/24India 2024/25Change
Undergraduate36,05340,135+4,082
Graduate196,567177,892−18,675
Non-degree1,4261,252−174
OPT97,556143,740+46,184
Total331,602363,019+31,417
India Added 31,417 Overall as OPT Rose and Graduate Enrollment FellContributions reconcile to the annual net change. They do not establish that OPT caused the total result.
+4,082Undergraduate−18,675Graduate−174Non-degree+46,184OPT+31,417Total

Source: Open Doors 2025 India fact sheet. The 147.0% ratio is an arithmetic contribution, not a causal claim. Analysis: Howdy Education Insights.

India’s OPT increase exceeded its total net increase arithmetically: 46,184 divided by 31,417 equals 147.0%. The ratio exceeds 100% because the graduate and non-degree declines, partly offset by undergraduate growth, reduced the final net increase.

The other three categories combined changed by −14,767. Adding the OPT increase produces the reported total change:

4,082 − 18,675 − 174 + 46,184 = 31,417.

India’s latest result should therefore not be described simply as graduate growth. Its graduate population declined while its OPT population increased substantially.

Implication for Institutions

A China–India comparison based only on headline totals can misstate where the difference lies. Institutions should separate currently enrolled undergraduate and graduate populations from OPT before using national totals to interpret the relative size of the two markets.

Sources

SourcePurposeType
Open Doors 2025 China Country Fact SheetChina 2023/24 and 2024/25 category countsDATA
Open Doors 2025 India Country Fact SheetIndia 2023/24 and 2024/25 category countsDATA
Open Doors International Student Census methodologyPopulation and category definitionsMETHOD / DEFINITION
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