The drop is the biggest since the pandemic; visa policies and “unwelcoming” environment under Trump are cited as factors
New international student enrollments at higher education institutions fell by 17% at the start of the 2025–2026 academic year. It is the biggest decline since 2020, according to the Fall 2025 Snapshot, a report released in November by the (Institute of International Education). Here is it (PDF – 7 MB).
The institute interviewed more than 825 North American institutions. The retreat occurs after months of migration policies considered unstable and signs of regulatory tightening during the government (Republican Party), which, according to the sector, have generated insecurity among foreign candidates.
IIE’s head of research, Mirka Martel, stated that the magnitude of the drop dates back to the first months of the pandemic. “The last time we saw a reduction at this level was in the fall of 2020 [início do ano acadêmico de 2020]when travel restrictions caused new tickets to plummet 46%,” he told journalists before the report was released.
The broader scenario is also worrying. The total number of international students in the country fell by 1%. While undergraduate studies advanced 2%, postgraduate studies fell 12%. (Optional Practical Training), a work program for recent graduates, grew 14%.
Negative trend signal
According to the IIE, Snapshot results tend to anticipate movements that will later be confirmed by the , an annual report that compiles consolidated data from the educational system.
Martel stated that, although Snapshot has lower participation from institutions, “trends usually repeat themselves”.
Data from 2024-2025 still showed progress
The Snapshot was released alongside Open Doors 2025, which contains data from the 2024–2025 academic year. This older group still showed a trajectory of expansion.
During the period, the USA welcomed 1,177,766 international students, an increase of 5% compared to the previous year. They accounted for 6% of higher education enrollment and added about $55 billion to the American economy in 2024, according to the Department of Commerce. The estimated impact is 355 thousand jobs sustained in the country, according to the NAFSA organization.
Postgraduate enrollment, which had been growing strongly, fell 3% (488,481 students). Graduation rose 4% (357,231), the 1st significant increase since the pandemic. The number of students in OPT increased by 21%, to 294,253. More than half of international students pursued STEM fields.
New enrollments at the start of the 2024 academic year fell 7% to 277,118 students. Undergraduate studies grew by 5% in the influx of new students, while postgraduate studies fell by 15%. The movement already anticipated the sharpest drop in 2025.
Indian students break record
India registered an all-time high of 363,019 students in the US in 2024–2025, up 10%. China sent 265,919 students, down 4% from the previous year and well below the peak of 372,532 recorded in 2019–2020.
Twelve of the top 25 countries of origin – including Bangladesh, Ghana, Nigeria, Pakistan, Spain and Vietnam – had their highest volumes ever recorded.
At state level, 45 states increased the number of international students. Texas had the biggest growth, 8% (7,497 more students). Illinois advanced 7%, and Missouri, 11%. Public institutions received 59% of foreign students. Community colleges had the highest rate of expansion, at 8%.
Academic exchange of American students has also advanced. In the 2023–2024 academic year, 298,180 students studied abroad, up 6%. Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom and France followed as preferred destinations, while Japan rose to 5th position after growing 16%.
Universities try to contain impact
Faced with visa delays and other barriers, universities have been making processes more flexible. According to Snapshot, 72% of institutions offer a postponement to the 1st semester of 2026, and 56%, to the 2nd semester of the same year.
Martel said that institutions are being “extremely flexible” to guarantee the arrival of students.
Even so, the 17% drop in new enrollments and the 12% loss in total graduate students indicate, according to the report, that the US is entering a period of uncertainty in the global competition for talent. The sector assesses that the country’s historical advantages are no longer guaranteed and that factors external to universities have exerted increasing weight on candidates’ decisions.
