Foreign Student Enrollment Is Down 17% Under Trump. What It Means for Universities

The US academic year is well underway. With students back in labs and lecture halls, they might notice more empty seats than usual — especially at schools and in programs that enroll large numbers of international scholars.

Foreign students have been a consistent target of President Donald Trump’s second term agenda. The administration has revoked thousands of visas, restricted visa interviews, arrested students involved in pro-Palestinian activities, and imposed heightened application requirements. It has also targeted specific universities with large overseas student populations, launching federal investigations into their handling of international admissions and compliance with visa regulations. Subsequently, international enrollment fell by 17% this fall, according to the Institute for International Education.