TOI World3 hours agoEducation2 min readIndia

Ed-tech entrepreneur warns Indian students against pursuing master's in US due to job market challenges

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Ed-tech entrepreneur Dhaval Patel advised Indian students not to pursue master's degrees in the US, citing high costs and low job prospects post-graduation, amid stricter US visa policies affecting OPT and H-1B pathways.

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Why It Matters

The article discusses challenges Indian students face in securing jobs and visas after completing master's degrees in the US, referencing recent administrative actions on OPT, STEM-OPT, and H-1B visa programs that have made transitions from F-1 to work visas more difficult and costly.

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An ed-tech entrepreneur said Indian students should not come to the US for their master's.

An ed-tech entrepreneur shared his view of the job market for Indian students in the US after they complete higher studies at US colleges or universities and said Indian students should not come to the US for their master's. Dhaval Patel, an Indian founder, said this is his personal opinion that he arrived at after speaking to a student, and he was not spreading fear. Citing figures, Patel said that an Indian student comes to study in the US empty handed but when they go back without finding any job, they have a huge debt on their shoulders, as a master's course of two years costs around $100K. "I am saying this based on a conversation I have had with a guy a couple of days ago who completed his master's from a reputed and credible college (Stevens Institute of Technology (NJ)). Most of his friends who studied with him had to go back to India as they couldn't get a job/h1b visa. Total expense for a 2-year master's will be close to 100 K $ or 95 lakh INR (70K fees and 30K other expenses). Going back with a huge debt can be quite challenging," he wrote in a LinkedIn Post. "I've seen many others struggle as well and this is not a one-off incident. Now of course there are outliers, people with exceptional skill and luck who will get a job + h1b but the % of that happening is low," he added.

OPT, H-1B crackdown in the US

The warning comes amid a tense situation for Indians in the US, with the administration cracking down on visa abuse and thus narrowing the scope of international students getting jobs after their studies. OPT, STEM-OPT used to be a pipeline for international students to get into jobs. But the administration vowed that any program that is giving international students and foreign workers more chance that equally skilled Americans will be ended. Transitioning from an F-1 visa to an H-1B has become tougher. H-1B is also getting costlier, with the administration imposing a hefty fee on it, which is still being blocked by courts. IT staffing companies are facing a probe, and many IT giants are facing delays in H-1B extension petitions this month.

What to Watch

AI outlook — possibilities, not facts

US universities may see declining enrollment from Indian students if visa restrictions persist
Possible · Within months
Indian students may increasingly consider alternative study destinations with better post-study work opportunities
Likely · Within months

Open Questions

What specific data supports the claim that most Indian students cannot find jobs after US master's?
Which IT staffing companies are under probe for visa-related issues?
What is the current status of court challenges to H-1B fee increases?
How many Indian students are affected annually by these visa policy changes?