Despite Trump-era visa restrictions, foreign students’ enrolments in US universities show minimal declines, DHS data reveals
Foreign student enrolments in US universities have remained largely steady despite visa restrictions and funding cuts introduced under President Trump. Data from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) indicates that active student visas for bachelor’s and master’s programmes declined only slightly, while doctoral visas actually increased.The findings challenge earlier reports suggesting a sharp drop in international arrivals. While some analyses pointed to reduced interest in US higher education, the latest visa statistics suggest that overall enrolments have been minimally affected.Visa numbers contradict apparent drop in arrivalsInitial figures from the International Trade Administration (ITA) suggested a 19% decrease in foreign-student arrivals at US airports in August compared with the previous year, according to The Economist. At the same time, online degree-directory Studyportals reported a first-quarter decline of over 20% in traffic from international students to US undergraduate and master’s listings, with doctoral course traffic down by a third.However, DHS data shows a different picture. Active student visas for bachelor’s programmes fell by just 0.9%, while master’s visas dropped 1.7%. Doctoral student visas increased by 2%. “Visa figures indicate that international enrolments have remained resilient,” a DHS official quoted by The Economist said.Experts suggest that discrepancies between arrival and visa data may reflect the role of the Optional Practical Training (OPT) programme. OPT allows graduates to remain in the US temporarily for work related to their studies. Participation rose by 21% from 2023 to 2024, reaching nearly 200,000 students, according to The Economist.Impact on students from different countriesAnalysis shows the steepest fall in arrivals occurred among students from lower-income countries, while those from wealthier nations were largely unaffected. This may indicate that financial constraints or concerns about re-entry influenced travel decisions. “Students from poorer countries may have delayed their return due to potential visa uncertainties,” as quoted by The Economist.Universities themselves reported varying effects. Among the top 50 institutions releasing admissions data, the share of international students remained largely stable. For example, the University of Michigan saw the proportion of foreign students rise from 4% to 18%, The Economist reported. Lower-ranked universities may face more challenges, but comprehensive data for these institutions is not yet available.Future trends in international enrolmentsWhile US universities, particularly prestigious institutions, continue to attract international students, long-term competitiveness may be affected by ongoing policy changes and global competition for talent. For the current academic year, however, Trump-era visa restrictions appear to have had only a minor impact on overall foreign student enrolments, according to DHS data and reports cited by The Economist.
