International student enrollment at U.S. colleges drops 17% in 2025
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The number of international students enrolled in colleges in the United States has fallen to its lowest level in more than a decade, according to a new report released Monday.
International student enrollment at U.S. colleges for fall 2025 drops 17%, NBCNews.com reported.
Citing data from the Institute of International Education (IIE), the report stated that this figure represents “the largest non-pandemic decline in the last 11 years.”
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The number of international students enrolled in U.S. schools has seen a sharp decline for the fall 2025 semester, according to a new report. (Washington Post/Getty)
This decline marks a sharper decline than the previous year, which saw a drop of only 7% in international student enrollments.
Nearly half of the 825 U.S. institutions surveyed by the IIE reported declining enrollment among international students.
Fanta Aw, CEO of the international education nonprofit NAFSA: Association of International Educators, told NBC: “The United States is no longer the central place where students aspire to come.”
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People hold signs during the Harvard Students for Freedom rally in support of international students on the Harvard University campus in Boston, Massachusetts on May 27, 2025. (Rick Friedman/AFP via Getty Images)
The expert drew attention to the new difficulties prospective students face when obtaining a student visa.
Trump administration paused planning New visa negotiations in May caused “long application backlogs” for foreign students looking to study in the United States, NBC reported.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced a rule in August that limits the length of time people on student visas can stay in the United States to four years.
The proposal aims to prevent “visa abuse” and increase the agency’s ability to “appropriately investigate and supervise these individuals,” DHS’s press release said.
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A new report showed that the number of international students enrolled in U.S. colleges decreased for the fall 2025 semester. (Bing Guan/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
The agency said foreign students “benefit from the generosity of the United States” and become “forever students” by staying enrolled in universities to stay in the United States.
These and other visa challenges make the U.S. “less competitive” compared to other countries where international students pursue higher education, Aw said.
According to NAFSA, the 17% decline in enrollment represents a loss of approximately $1 billion to the U.S. economy; because international students contributed $43 billion last year.
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The White House and the Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
