The number of international students coming to the United States last year fell more steeply than people thought, according to a new analysis of US State Department data by the Chronicle of Higher Education.Between May and August 2025, an important period for college enrollment, the United States issued 97,000 fewer F-1 student visas worldwide. This represents a 36 percent decrease compared to the same months in 2024.A preliminary study of colleges conducted last year indicated a 17 percent decline in new enrollment rates for international students. The new visa numbers are even more worrying. India, the top source of international students for the United States, saw a particularly large decline.
US consulates there issued only about 22,000 student visas during the summer, a decline of more than 60 percent.The global decline in visas is likely related to the nearly month-long freeze on student visa interviews that the State Department imposed in late May. But it may also reflect a decline in interest in studying in the United States following Trump administration policies, including revoking the legal status of thousands of foreign students last spring.
“Although many visa cancellations – which were often based on seemingly minor infractions with the law, such as traffic violations – were reversed, they generated alarming headlines around the world,” the analysis said. Other policy changes, such as a proposed time limit on student visas and reforms to a federal program that allows recent graduates to work in the United States for up to three years, may have prompted students to rethink their plans.
Threatened cuts in research funding have also led some colleges to reduce graduate admissions.International students have been of great importance in master’s programs since the outbreak of the pandemic and make up a large share of doctoral programmes, especially in STEM subjects. The decline in new visas could cause financial problems for colleges that rely on tuition fees from international students. Last year, international students contributed nearly $43 billion to the U.S. economy, according to NAFSA: Association of International Educators.International enrollments rebounded strongly after the pandemic, but visa numbers have already begun to decline in 2024, falling by about 12 percent from May to August. The 2025 numbers show the decline is much worse than many colleges expected, raising concern as they plan for the new academic year.The sharp decline in the number of students from India could have a significant impact, as the country has been a major driver of international school enrollment growth. Colleges are already adjusting budgets and staffing due to these declines, demonstrating how important visa rules and student confidence are for international education.