The number of Chinese students enrolling in US graduate schools fell for the first time in at least a decade, according to a report from the US Council of Graduate Schools published on Wednesday.

The 1 per cent drop in first-time enrolments of students from China in 2014 “affects a relatively large number of students since Chinese students constitute 33 per cent of total enrolment of international graduate students in the US”, the Council said.

The decline was offset by a large jump in first-time enrolments of students from India, which rose 27 per cent in 2014 on top of a 40 per cent rise in 2013. First-time enrolment of students from Brazil increased 91 per cent this year after a 17 per cent increase in 2013, the report said. Enrolment from South Korea and Taiwan declined 7 per cent and 8 per cent respectively in 2014.