"Fewer Going to Study in U.S. Due to Trump"... Number of New International Students at American Universities Drops by 20%

84% of U.S. Universities Report Student Decline Due to Government Regulations
International Student Enrollment Rises at Asian and European Universities

Due to the Trump Administration’s tightening of U.S. visa regulations, the number of new international undergraduate students at American universities decreased by an average of 20% this spring.

According to Bloomberg on May 11 (local time), a joint survey conducted by NAFSA: Association of International Educators and several educational organizations across 149 U.S. universities revealed that the number of new undergraduate students has dropped significantly this spring.

About 62% of the universities surveyed reported a decrease in international student enrollment across both undergraduate and graduate programs. Among these, 84% cited government regulatory policies as the main reason for the decline in foreign student enrollment.

International students, most of whom pay full tuition, are considered a major source of revenue for universities. As the school-age population in the U.S. continues to decline, universities are becoming increasingly dependent on international students.

Amid this situation, concerns are growing in academia as the Trump Administration has begun to impose restrictions on foreign student enrollment as part of higher education reform and immigration limitation policies.

Last year, the Trump Administration arrested and detained dozens of international students on campuses and in dormitories, and revoked the residency status of thousands. While the majority of these students regained their status through multiple lawsuits, the incidents caused widespread anxiety.

If the trend from the spring semester leads to a similar decrease of nearly 20% in international student enrollment in the upcoming fall semester, some universities may face severe financial difficulties.

Meanwhile, unlike the United States, universities in Asia and Europe—regions that have maintained relatively open policies—have seen an increase in international student enrollment, benefiting from the shift away from the U.S.