Trump’s Actions Threaten International Student Enrollment in US Colleges

Experts have cautioned that the Trump administration's recent effort for tougher immigration policies might result in a notable drop in international student enrollment in American universities. Following a recovery phase from the pandemic, international enrollments are starting to rise again; however, increased restrictions like visa cancellations and funding reductions pose a risk of undoing this favorable trend.

In recent weeks, federal immigration officials have canceled multiple student visas, conducted searches in dorms, and detained students participating in campus demonstrations. These actions, coupled with the possible extension of the contentious travel ban from seven to 43 nations, have raised significant alarm among international students and their supporters. Currently, these policies may lead to even larger disruptions in international student enrollment compared to what occurred in 2017 during Trump's initial term.

Experts now anticipate that the recent changes may result in a decline in international student enrollments, especially from nations such as India and China. According to Inside Higher Ed, William Brustein, a past vice president for global strategy at West Virginia University, thinks the drop in international student numbers will be much more severe than the 2.2 percent fall in undergraduate applications and the 5.5 percent drop in graduate applications observed after the 2017 travel ban.

Information from the National Science Foundation reveals that although enrolment figures had started to bounce back after the pandemic, forecasts for the upcoming academic year suggest a possible 1 percent decrease in international student applications. This signifies the first occasion since 2019 that local applicants are anticipated to exceed the number of their international peers.

International students have emerged as an essential financial resource for numerous US universities, particularly as local enrolments level off. As reported by the Institute of International Education (IIE), 81 percent of international undergraduate students and 61 percent.