The number of new foreign undergraduate students at US colleges has dropped by an average of 20% this spring, according to a study by a coalition of education groups.
The findings, published in a report by organisations including the US international education group NAFSA, are based on a survey of 149 American schools.
Some 62% of those schools reported lower foreign enrollment in both undergraduate and graduate programs compared to spring 2025.
Foreign enrolment in graduate programmes dropped by an average of 24%, according to the report.
International students, who often pay full tuition, are a key source of revenue for universities.
The Trump administration has cracked down on foreign student enrollment as part of its broader pressure campaign to reshape higher education and restrict immigration pathways.
NAFSA executive director Fanta Aw said the survey results portend an even more significant decline in the fall.
“Our sense is that the fall enrollment, best case scenario, will be similar to spring,” she said. “Most likely, it will be worse.”
