Indian Students in the USA: Community, Campuses, and Daily Life

Where Indian students concentrate

India passed China to become the top country of origin for international students in the US, with 363,019 Indian students enrolled in 2024/25, about a 10 percent increase from the year before, according to the IIE Open Doors 2025 report . International graduate students remain the largest academic level nationally, and Indian students follow that pattern strongly, with heavy concentration in math, computer science, and engineering. Overall, California, New York, and Texas host the largest numbers of international students of any US states, and math and computer science is the leading field of study among international students nationally, per the same report.

Large public research universities with strong engineering and computer science departments tend to draw the biggest Indian student populations, along with schools near major technology employment hubs. Smaller liberal arts colleges and schools far from a metro area tend to host far fewer Indian students, so expect a thinner community there than at a large state university.

Student associations and cultural networks

Most universities with a meaningful Indian student population host a general Indian Students Association that runs cultural events, welcomes new arrivals, and connects students with alumni. Alongside a general association, larger campuses often have regional and language-specific groups, such as Telugu, Tamil, Gujarati, Punjabi, Bengali, or Malayali associations, that run their own events and give a smaller, closer community within the wider Indian student body.

Graduate students in specific departments also build informal networks through labs and cohorts, which often matter more day to day than the general campus association, especially for PhD students spending long hours in a research group.

Faith and religious life

Most college towns and cities with a sizable Indian population have a Hindu temple, gurdwara, mosque, or church within reach, and campus international offices or student associations often keep lists of nearby options along with transport arrangements during festivals. Interfaith centers on many campuses also host prayer space and community events across faiths.

Food and daily practicalities

Indian grocery stores stocking familiar staples, spices, and packaged foods operate in most cities with a large university and Indian population, and college towns without a dedicated Indian store often still stock some items through general Asian grocery chains. Indian and South Asian restaurants cluster near major universities in large metro areas, though smaller college towns have fewer options, so students there rely more on cooking at home.

Roommate and housing choices affect daily comfort. Some students prefer living with other Indian or South Asian students for shared cooking and cultural comfort, while others choose mixed housing to build a wider network faster. Your university's international student office and housing portal both help you find compatible roommates before you arrive.

Festivals and campus life

Diwali, Holi, and other major Indian festivals get celebrated on many US campuses, usually organized by the Indian Students Association or a Hindu student group, sometimes with university funding or space support. These events also draw non-Indian students and give you a visible way to introduce your culture to your wider campus community.

Academic culture differences

US classrooms weigh class participation, group projects, and continuous assignments alongside exams, a different balance from the exam-heavy grading most Indian students grew up with. Professors expect you to speak up in class, question ideas openly, and use office hours to ask for help, rather than waiting for a lecture to cover everything you need.

US universities enforce academic integrity rules strictly, and copying text or code without citation, even by accident, counts as plagiarism with serious consequences including suspension. Learn your specific school's citation and collaboration rules early in your first semester, since standards for what counts as acceptable group work differ by course and instructor.

Working while you study

F-1 status allows on-campus work up to 20 hours a week during the school year, and off-campus work only through specific authorizations such as Curricular Practical Training (CPT) or Optional Practical Training (OPT), arranged through your school's international student office. These rules carry strict limits and have shifted in recent years, so confirm your current eligibility with your international student office before you accept any off-campus role, paid or unpaid (Study in the States ).

Setting up banking and a phone plan

Most Indian students open a US bank account within the first week or two on campus, since many landlords, employers, and phone carriers expect one. Your school orientation and international student office commonly point new students toward banks with campus branches or student-friendly accounts. A US phone plan with a local number similarly makes daily tasks, from food delivery to two-factor login codes, easier than relying on an international plan alone.

Getting around without a car

Many US college towns build around car ownership, while some larger cities and campus-dense areas support walking, cycling, and public transit well. Research your specific campus location's transport options before you arrive, since a car-dependent college town changes your grocery shopping, commute, and social routines compared to a walkable campus.

Mental health and adjustment support

Moving to a new country brings real adjustment stress, from homesickness to unfamiliar academic pressure, and most US universities run a counseling center open to international students, often at no extra cost beyond your student fees. Reach out early if you feel overwhelmed, campus counseling centers see international students regularly and understand the specific pressures of studying far from home.

Staying connected with home

Video calls, messaging apps, and India-specific streaming and reading services keep many students connected to family and news from home throughout their program. Set a realistic call schedule with family early on, since US time zones sit far ahead of or behind India depending on where you study, and irregular calls strain both sides over a full academic year.

Health insurance and healthcare

US universities require international students to carry health insurance, either the school's own student health plan or a comparable outside plan that meets the university's minimum coverage rules. Costs and coverage rules differ by school, so check your university's student health center page for its specific requirements and enrollment deadline instead of assuming your existing travel insurance qualifies.

Weather and regional adjustment

Climate varies enormously across the US, and a program in the Northeast or Midwest means a first real winter for many Indian students, with snow, short daylight hours, and heating costs to plan for. Southern and coastal schools bring milder winters with their own adjustments, such as hurricane season along the Gulf and Atlantic coasts. Check your specific campus location's climate pattern and budget for seasonal clothing before you pack.

Orientation and support services

Every US university with international students runs an international student office that handles visa status, orientation, and cultural adjustment support. Attend your school's international orientation before classes start, since it covers points specific to F-1 status: maintaining status, on-campus work rules, health insurance requirements, and who to contact if a problem comes up with SEVIS or your I-20.

Many schools also run a peer mentor or buddy program pairing new international students, including Indian students, with someone who arrived a year or two earlier. Ask your admissions or international office whether this exists at your school and sign up early, since spots often fill before the semester starts.