Nearly 20 Percent Fewer International Students Traveled to the U.S. in August
11 hours ago
- #international-students
- #education-trends
- #visa-policies
- The number of international students arriving in the U.S. in August fell by 19% compared to last year, the largest decline outside of the pandemic.
- Visa delays, travel bans, and increased vetting by the Trump administration contributed to the decline.
- Asian students, who make up over 70% of U.S. international students, saw a 24% drop in arrivals.
- Indian student arrivals dropped by 44%, while Chinese student numbers continued to decline post-pandemic.
- European student arrivals remained stable, but African, Middle Eastern, and South American student numbers fell significantly.
- Reasons for the decline include visa delays, travel bans, increased uncertainty, and less overall travel.
- STEM graduate programs, smaller arts schools, and flagship state schools are most affected by the decline.
- A sustained drop in international students could harm U.S. competitiveness in science and engineering.