New International Student Enrollment at U.S. Universities Drops 17% Under Trump Immigration Policies

Concerns Over Visa Acquisition and Travel Restrictions
NYT: "Sharp Decline in Total International Students Expected as Current Students Graduate"

A recent survey has found that, due to the immigration policies of the Donald Trump administration, the number of new international students enrolling at U.S. universities for the fall semester this year has decreased by 17% compared to the previous year. There are concerns that if this decline in new international students continues, U.S. universities may face financial difficulties in the coming years due to a sharp drop in the overall number of international students.

On November 17 (local time), the Institute of International Education (IIE), a nonprofit organization, announced the results of its survey on international student enrollment for the 2025-2026 academic year, conducted at 825 U.S. universities.

Harvard University, USA. Photo by AFP Yonhap News

Among the 825 universities surveyed, 57% reported a decrease in new international student enrollment. The reasons cited included "concerns related to obtaining visas" (96%) and "travel restrictions" (68%).

Although the number of new international students declined significantly, the total number of international students enrolled at U.S. universities this semester decreased by only 1%. The total figure includes both students who enrolled in previous years and those participating in the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program, which allows graduates to gain practical experience in their field of study.

The total number of undergraduate international students increased by 2%, while the number of graduate international students decreased by 12%.

Although the universities surveyed represent less than a quarter of all U.S. universities, The New York Times explained that the sample includes major institutions with large international student populations.

Last year, the number of international students at U.S. universities reached 1.2 million, accounting for about 6% of all university enrollments in the United States. Of these, 629,000 students were from India and China.

International students are an important source of revenue for U.S. universities. The New York Times pointed out that the decline in new international student enrollment suggests that, as current international students graduate or leave for other reasons, the total number of international students could drop sharply in the coming years.

University officials have long been concerned that President Trump’s hardline immigration policies would negatively affect efforts to attract international students. After the outbreak of the Gaza conflict, the Trump administration tightened visa screenings for international students and researchers in response to a wave of anti-Semitic and pro-Palestinian protests on U.S. campuses. In May, the administration imposed a ban on foreign student enrollment at Harvard University, but the courts intervened to halt the measure. That same month, the U.S. State Department also temporarily suspended visa interview appointments to strengthen social media screening for student visa applicants.

However, there have been recent changes to this stance. In a recent interview with Fox News, President Trump warned that reducing the number of international students could collapse the U.S. university system from a business perspective, as these students pay substantial tuition fees. He also stated that up to 600,000 Chinese students could be allowed to study in the United States.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.