As per IIE, the number of international students studying at US colleges and universities has reached more than 1.1 million as of 2023-2024, an increase of 7% from the previous year. These statistics highlight the growing number of international students in the country. International students accounted for 6% of the total US higher education population and contributed more than $50 billion to the US economy, as per the US Department of Commerce in 2023. However, with the new Trump administration, the education department of the country has weighed new risks for these students, putting pressure on what they do and say. The CEO Views takes you through the present scenario of international students in the US higher education and the risks they are facing now.
As international student enrollment bounced back after the pandemic, causing relief to American universities that count on their tuition payments, the scenario is again feared to change with the new Trump administration.
Along with the fear of getting deported over political views, foreign students in the US are feeling pressure to watch before they say anything. As per educators, this is a balancing act that will shut foreign students from pursuing higher education in the country. The US government has already been reported to be taking strict measures concerning immigration, cutting federal research funding, and policing campus activism. This has left students from other countries pondering whether they will be able to get visas, pursue research, express their opinion, and travel freely.
In this regard, let us mention the experience of a foreign student studying in the US. A Ph.D. student from South Asia at the University of Rochester shares that it feels extremely risky for her to openly speak about LGBTQ+ causes that she once championed. As reports of travel bans started circulating, she expressed her fear of not flying home for the summer as she would not be allowed back into the country. “You’re here for an education, so you’ve got to keep moving forward on that end,” shared the student, who chose to speak anonymously.
Looking at the scenario, Clay Harmon, the executive director of AIRC, a membership organization engaged in recruiting and enrolling international students, has articulated, “It has a chilling effect. Even if there’s no direct consequence or direct limitation right now, all of this cumulatively produces an impression that the U.S. is not welcoming, it’s not open, or that you may be in some kind of danger or jeopardy if you do come to the U.S.”
Some students are waiting to see how the policy changes will affect and some have already deferred admission offers for fall 2025. Students in Canada, India, China, and other countries are wondering whether to move forward with their plans of studying in the US or seek admission in the UK, Germany, or elsewhere in Europe.
According to recent news, US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order to start dismantling the Education Department. However, there are speculations about how much Trump could succeed in doing so. These changes in administrative work under the Trump administration and changes in the immigration policies for international students impose risks on students pursuing higher education in the country.
Statistics have also shown that international students in the 2023-2024 academic year have supported over 378,000 jobs as per NAFSA data, an agency promoting international education. International graduates play a crucial role in research advancement. Many universities, such as Northeastern University in Boston, have considered Trump’s directives and are keeping their existing and prospective students aware of the political scenario.
Vice President for Communications in the US, Renata Nyul, said, “Our global community will continue to be a welcoming place for admitted students from all corners of the world.”
On the other hand, the Bunker Hill Community College in Boston has suspended its one-to-two week study abroad programs in regards to concerns about potential travel restrictions. The Graduate School of Columbia has warned its foreign students seeking higher education about their vulnerability to deportation or arrest.
The education department of Brown University has suggested that foreign students and staff, both visa holders and permanent residents, must postpone their travel plans to the US after a professor of the university was deported to Lebanon. The reason behind her deportation was her open acceptance of attending the funeral of a Hezbollah Leader and supporting him.
The new policy of the Trump administration has allowed for fast deportations and justifies many government actions concerning the cancellation of foreign students’ permission to pursue higher education in the US. Earlier, the rules said that if a visa was revoked, students were allowed to stay and complete their studies in the country, but if they left, they would not be allowed to re-enter. Now, with the new policy, students are at high risk of losing the opportunity to study in the US.
