New research indicates that the number of international college students who studied in the U.S. in fall 2025 declined compared with the prior year, particularly among new students.
Overall international enrollment decreased by 1% for fall 2025 — the first year of decline after four prior years of growth, according to the Institute of International Education’s “Fall 2025 Snapshot on International Student Enrollment”report based on responses from hundreds of schools. Broken down by academic level, there was a 2% increase among international undergraduates, while graduate students and nondegree students decreased by 12% and 17%, respectively.
“The Fall Snapshot is just that, a snapshot of approximately 825 institutions at the start of the fall semester,” Mirka Martel, head of research, evaluation and learning at IIE, wrote in an email. “We look forward to the publication of the 2026 Spring Snapshot when we will get our next glimpse at the evolving landscape of international students in the U.S. While the findings of the snapshot have historically been a reliable indicator, we will not truly know the full picture until the 2026 Open Doors report, which features data from over 2,000 institutions nationwide.”
New international student enrollment dropped by 17%, per IIE’s report. That equates to $1.1 billion of lost revenue and about 23,000 fewer jobs, according to Nov. 2025 projections by NAFSA: Association of International Educators and international education research partner JB International.
[Read: International Student Services at U.S. Colleges: What to Know]
Not all colleges experienced a decline in new entrants; 29% reported an increase in new international enrollment while 14% remained stable, per IIE data.
“?People who work at universities, especially those who work in international education and enrollment, really care about students and are committed to giving people the opportunity to get an education and benefit from all (it) provides,” says Amy Crutchfield, senior partner and enrollment management practice leader at WittKieffer, an executive search and leadership advisory firm.
“Connecting with those offices can be really helpful to students who are unsure about what to expect in terms of their experience in the U.S. nowadays or the complexities of navigating the application process and getting to the U.S.”
Possible Causes of International Enrollment Declines
New international student enrollment declined at 57% of responding institutions, per IIE’s report, which most respondents attributed to challenges with the visa application process and travel restrictions.
For instance, the U.S. Department of State paused scheduling of new F-1 and J-1 visa appointments for a month beginning in May 2025. On June 4, President Donald Trump announced a “full suspension” on immigrant and nonimmigrant entry from 12 countries, as well as partial entry restrictions for nationals of seven countries due to “deficient” vetting and screening information and some nations having higher-than-normal rates of visa overstays, “which increases burdens on immigration and law enforcement components of the United States, and often exacerbates other risks related to national security and public safety,” according to a White House proclamation.
As of Dec. 16, 2025, Trump placed full entry restrictions on an additional seven countries — two of which, Laos and Sierra Leone, previously had partial entry restrictions — and on individuals holding travel documents issued by the Palestinian Authority, while partial suspensions were placed on 15 more countries. The ban on Turkmenistan was removed for nonimmigrant visas, but immigration restrictions remain.
Stefan Hyman, as associate vice president for enrollment management at San Diego State University in California, wrote in an email that his school, “like many universities nationally, has seen gradual fluctuations in international enrollment over the past several years, including patterns influenced by the pandemic. Earlier this year, SDSU projected an increase in new international students based on admissions activity. However, many admitted students experienced unexpected delays in securing visa appointments over the summer.”
[READ: Campus Resources for International Students]
Hyman adds that “students in several regions reported challenges finding available appointments once the system reopened, which contributed to fewer students being able to begin studies this fall.”
International enrollment at SDSU fell from 957 to 889 between fall 2024 and 2025, according to Hyman, while the number of new international students decreased from 294 to 245.
Beyond visa issues, there’s also a sense that the U.S. “may not be as welcoming of an environment for international students nowadays,” Crutchfield says.
Additionally, many colleges have faced budget and funding challenges over the past year, she adds. “There’s been more of a downstream impact too when it comes to the viability for international students. If they don’t have a job on campus, for example, then financially they may not be able to afford to come to the U.S. and study.”
How Colleges Are Addressing Enrollment Declines
Postsecondary enrollment has been a growing concern for the last several years due to a looming “demographic cliff” — a term that refers to a protracted drop in the number of students traditionally entering college right after high school due to declining birthrates.
Another factor in declining college enrollment may be decreased public confidence in the value of higher education, experts say.
Admitting more international students is one way U.S. colleges can bolster enrollment, and 84% consider international student recruitment a priority, per IIE data.
The international student enrollment decline “adds one more challenge to the list of many things that are impacting enrollment for institutions,” Crutchfield says. Institutions are “leaning more into their domestic recruitment pool. This can include focusing more on students in their own backyard or expanding more nationally or both. We saw this in fall 2025 as institutions went deeper into their waitlist to make up for losses on international enrollment.”
[Related:First-Year Tips for International Students at U.S. Colleges]
In light of visa challenges, many colleges have been more flexible with admissions for international students. Seventy-two percent offered admitted international students deferrals for spring 2026, and 56% gave deferrals for fall 2026, according to the IIE report.
Colleges that experienced a rise in new international enrollment attributed the growth to more active recruitment efforts and increased outreach to student-athletes, according to IIE data.
“The continued prioritization of international student recruitment by U.S. institutions should foster confidence regarding the future of international higher education,” Martel says.
“However, any long-term decline in international student enrollment at U.S. colleges and universities would naturally have a negative impact on the reasons why institutions recruit international students. As revealed in the (report), this includes their unique perspectives, resonance within long-term institutional strategies, financial contributions and role in helping institutions forge international partnerships.”
Outside of prioritized recruitment, some colleges should utilize their international campuses, such as in Europe, Asia or the Middle East, for “students who are seeking a U.S. educational experience but may not be able to come to the U.S,” Crutchfield says.
“I think institutions are continuing to think more creatively about where they can grow enrollment. That may mean leaning into online graduate certificate programs in order to make up for the pressures on both domestic undergraduate student populations and international student populations.”
More from U.S. News
Hidden Costs for International Students in the U.S.
6 U.S. College Expenses Besides Tuition for International Students
International Students: How to Show Financial Ability
U.S. International Student Enrollment Is Down: What to Know originally appeared on usnews.com
