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New International Student Starts in U.S. Drop 17% This Fall, IIE Survey Finds

Colleges point to visa delays, tougher vetting under Trump policies as the top barrier.

People walk on the campus of Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on April 15, 2025.
Students at the University of Pennsylvania.
Image
TOPSHOT - People hold up signs during the Harvard Students for Freedom rally in support of international students at the Harvard University campus in Boston, Massachusetts, on May 27, 2025. Harvard students protested Tuesday after the US government said it intends to cancel all remaining financial contracts with the university, President Donald Trump's latest attempt to force the prestigious institution to submit to unprecedented oversight. (Photo by Rick Friedman / AFP) (Photo by RICK FRIEDMAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Overview

  • Among institutions reporting declines, 96% cited visa application concerns and 68% cited travel restrictions, according to IIE’s Fall 2025 snapshot of 825 campuses.
  • The contraction is concentrated in graduate education, with overall graduate enrollment down 12% as undergraduate totals rose 2% and participation in Optional Practical Training increased 14%.
  • Many colleges reported sharp falls in new Indian enrollments, which the survey says likely drove the national decline, while several institutions noted steadier or rising new numbers from China and South Korea.
  • A majority of campuses (57%) saw fewer new international students, with schools pointing to a spring pause in visa interviews, stricter vetting including social‑media checks, visa revocations, and proposed limits on students’ length of stay.
  • NAFSA estimates the downturn in new entrants translates to roughly $1.1 billion in lost revenue and nearly 23,000 fewer jobs, prompting widespread offers of deferrals into 2026.