New International Student Enrollment Fell Sharply This Year

International student enrollment rates astatine American colleges and universities fell sharply this year, driven by visa exertion issues arsenic prospective students are caught up successful nan Trump administration’s migration crackdown.

New world student enrollment successful U.S. institutions declined by 17% successful autumn 2025, nan largest nonpandemic diminution successful nan past 11 years, according to caller information released Monday by nan Institute of International Education, a nonprofit that useful to promote overseas study. This figure, from a preliminary study covering a information of nan institutions, comes connected nan heels of a 7% driblet successful caller world enrollees successful nan 2024-25 world year.

More than half of nan 825 U.S. higher acquisition institutions surveyed successful nan autumn 2025 snapshot reported a alteration successful caller world enrollment, according to nan IIE’s Open Doors report.

“The U.S. is nary longer nan cardinal spot that students aspire to travel to,” said Fanta Aw, CEO of NAFSA: Association of International Educators, a nonprofit group. Aw attributed nan diminution to difficulties successful obtaining a U.S. visa, saying nan issues person made nan U.S. “less competitive” connected nan world stage.

According to nan IIE report, 96% of higher acquisition institutions cited visa exertion concerns arsenic an obstacle for enrollment.

Visa issues preceded President Donald Trump, arsenic Aw attributed immoderate of nan 7% dip successful nan 2024-25 world twelvemonth to precocious visa denial rates from places for illustration India and sub-Sarahan Africa. However, nan Trump management paused caller student visa interviews successful May, creating agelong exertion backlogs.

This enrollment diminution carries heavy economical consequences, pinch a NAFSA report, besides published Monday, estimating a $1.1 cardinal nonaccomplishment to nan U.S. system owed to less world students. According to NAFSA, international students contributed astir $43 cardinal to nan U.S. economy and supported much than 355,000 jobs successful nan 2024-25 world year.

International students not only lend done tuition fees, but besides assistance section economies done buying services and products, renting apartments, purchasing wellness insurance, and bringing world visitors, Aw said. NAFSA estimates that for each 3 world students, 1 U.S. occupation is created aliases supported.