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The number of international students enrolling at U.S. colleges has fallen to its lowest level in more than a decade, according to a new report released Monday.
International student enrollment at U.S. colleges for the fall 2025 semester dropped by 17%, NBCNews.com reported.
That figure represents “the largest nonpandemic decline in the last 11 years,” the report said, citing data from the Institute of International Education (IIE).
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The drop marks a steeper decline than the previous year, which saw only a 7% decrease in international student enrollment.
About half of the 825 U.S. institutions surveyed by IIE reported declines in enrollment among international students.
Fanta Aw, CEO of international education non-profit NAFSA: Association of International Educators, told NBC that “The U.S. is no longer the central place that students aspire to come to.”
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The expert pointed to new challenges that prospective students have in obtaining student visas.
The Trump administration paused the scheduling of new visa interviews in May, which NBC reported has caused “long application backlogs” for foreign students seeking to study in the United States.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced a rule in August limiting the length of time people with student visas could remain in the U.S. to four years.
A DHS press release said the proposal seeks to curb “visa abuse” and increase the agency’s ability to “properly vet and oversee these individuals.”
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The agency said foreign students have “taken advantage of U.S. generosity” and become “forever students” by remaining enrolled in colleges so they could stay in the U.S.
Aw said these and other visa challenges have made the U.S. “less competitive” compared to other nations where international students pursue higher education.
According to NAFSA, the 17% drop in enrollment represents about a $1 billion loss to the U.S. economy, as international students contributed $43 billion last year.
The White House and the Department of Homeland Security did not immediately reply to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
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