Colleges report declines in international enrollment amid federal restrictions. Survey data released Wednesday found that nearly 6 in 10 U.S. colleges lost foreign graduate students this fall, and 45% saw a decline in undergraduates. Published Nov. 11, 2026 Dive brief: * Nearly 6 out of 10 colleges reported a drop in international graduate students in fall 2026, compared to the previous year, with an average decline of 13%, according to a new survey of 203 U.S. higher education institutions. Some 45% also said they had fewer foreign undergraduates enroll. * The data, released Wednesday, found that 90% of respondents cited restrictive federal policies as being a significant obstacle to international enrollment. Just under half, 47%, also said tuition and living costs for students posed a significant barrier. * Surveyed colleges also expressed dismal expectations for next year, with 44% predicting international enrollment would stay at the same depressed levels and 37% expecting enrollment to decline further. Dive insight: Wednesday's survey, released by NAFSA: Association of International Educators in partnership with the Oxford University Press and the student recruitment platform Studyportals, reinforces concerns that the Trump administration's attacks on foreign students and the long-standing U.S. programs that support their study here would corrode the international enrollment pipeline. Survey respondents cited the administration's crackdown on student visas and the astronomical new fees sought for the H-1B visa and Optional Practical Training programs. While some of those policies are being challenged in the courts, they can signal to international students that they are unwelcome in the U.S., and the uncertainty and instability can ward off prospective applicants. Major public research universities, traditionally popular among foreign students, have begun reporting international enrollment declines this fall. And some, like Pennsylvania State University, have drawn a direct line between that loss of students and budgetary challenges. "These survey results affirm what we've observed before: national policies matter to international students making major decisions about where to study, conduct research, or start a career," Fanta Aw, NAFSA's executive director and CEO, said in a statement Wednesday. Some colleges also reported decreased interest in countries that have historically sent the most higher education students overseas, such as China and India. "Our agents in India in particular are telling us that they are seeing a drastic decline in inquiries for US graduate study and that many prospective students are either considering other destinations or postponing study plans," one university respondent said. Of those surveyed, 37% of U.S. colleges said they planned to diversify the locations where they recruit from and tap into new markets over the next 12 months. One institution said it would pivot to the Philippines, Canada and Colombia as a means of offsetting losses from India, Bangladesh and Nepal, the three countries from which the college traditionally got the most foreign students. Another 32% said they would expand their online offerings, and 30% said they would turn to budget cuts. However, cuts could further exacerbate challenges for colleges' international admissions offices. One respondent admitted that staffing issues have "resulted in a lack of attention to incoming students." Pollsters surveyed colleges' senior administrators and international student recruitment professionals online between Oct. 5 and 26.

Studyportals and Made Impact partner to showcase personal international education stories. Studyportals and Made Impact have partnered to launch a global platform designed to collect and amplify stories demonstrating the impact of international education and student mobility. September 9 2026 The new platform was launched at an event at the United Nations in new York last week. Photo: iStock The Impactportal was unveiled at the inaugural Made Impact Summit, held at the United Nations in New York on September 1, bringing together education leaders, policymakers and storytellers focused on strengthening the case for international education and exchange. The partnership combines Studyportals' reach and expertise in international higher education with Made Impact's storytelling and movement-building capabilities. The organisations said the Impactportal will provide a collaborative space to showcase the human, societal and economic impact of international education, student mobility and global talent. Meanwhile, Studyportals CEO Edwin van Rest will join Made Impact as a co-founding leader of the initiative. "International education changes lives every day, yet too often its impact remains invisible or difficult to quantify," van Rest said. International education changes lives every day, yet too often its impact remains invisible or difficult to quantify Edwin van Rest, Studyportals "Announcing this partnership at the United Nations reflects the scale of our ambition. Through the Impactportal, we want to bring together compelling stories and credible evidence from around the world, helping institutions, governments and communities better understand the profound value of international education." Chris Arnold, founder of Made Impact, said international education and exchange represented a long-term strategy for maximising human potential and supporting prosperity and peace. "We want to build a sector-inclusive movement, and therefore partnering with a powerhouse in the education space, Studyportals, with a mission so aligned to ours, is a big win for us, and for the world," he said. The Impactportal will become a global repository of stories from universities, students, alumni and partners, enabling them to share experiences and demonstrate the broader effects of international education. The initiative comes amid significant challenges for global international education as institutions across major markets grapple with compliance squeezes, anti-immigration rhetoric and questions about higher education's relevance in an AI-driven world. In response, the partners said the platform will seek to combine personal stories with evidence to build a stronger and more visible narrative around the value of international education. Meanwhile, the summit followed a storyteller day on Ellis Island, where participants from across the international education sector explored how personal stories can help capture the impact of studying, working and living across cultures. The two-day program brought together voices from different countries, careers and backgrounds, with discussions spanning human potential, prosperity and peace, as Made Impact works towards its ambition of collecting one million stories demonstrating the impact of international education and exchange. The focus comes at a time when the sector is under growing pressure to articulate its value beyond student numbers and economic contribution, and to show the wider human impact of international experiences. Beth Kennedy is a journalist and editor with over 10 years' experience in specialist media. She completed her undergraduate degree in drama at the University of Exeter and has a master's in magazine journalism from Cardiff University. After a decade of reporting for primary healthcare professionals, Beth joined The PIE in 2024. Contact her at [email protected].