Washington, D.C. [U.S.], August 25 (ANI): Amid continued differences over immigration policies in the United States, a CNBC report observed that fewer new students from overseas chose to attend American colleges in 2025, with new data indicating that enrollment could decline further in the year ahead.
Referring to a report released Thursday by the Common App, CNBC noted that while the overall volume of undergraduate applications for the upcoming 2026-27 academic year increased, the number of international applicants through March 1 fell 10%, marking the steepest decline on record.
According to a Fall 2025 Snapshot from the U.S. Department of State and the Institute of International Education (IIE), the number of new international students studying in the U.S. during the fall 2025 semester fell 17% compared with the previous year. The IIE’s Spring 2026 Snapshot also estimated another decline in overall international enrollment for the upcoming fall.
According to CNBC, there was a pronounced decrease in the number of applicants from Asia and Africa, based on Common App data. With fewer students outside the U.S. creating accounts on the college application platform, the pipeline for future international enrollment is likely to shrink further, according to Common App researchers.
While the impact is not likely to be felt as significantly at America’s leading Ivy League colleges because of their deep international applicant pools, the real impact could be felt at institutions a few tiers below them.
According to CNBC, Jamie Beaton, co-founder and CEO of college consulting firm Crimson Education, said private colleges are particularly reliant on international students. If applications begin shifting toward the U.K., Australia or Singapore, the impact on revenue is likely to be significant.
“Mid-ranked private colleges and regional public flagships are quite reliant on full-pay international students, and when those applicants start to diversify to the U.K., Australia or Singapore, these schools can’t backfill the revenue since the domestic pipeline is shrinking with the demographic cliff, and they can’t raise prices on a market already questioning their ROI,” he said.
According to the CNBC report, changes in student visa policy could also come at a significant economic cost.
Citing an analysis by NAFSA: Association of International Educators, the report noted that the U.S. has been the world’s top destination for international students, many of whom come from India and China. However, this year’s projected enrollment decline could cost local economies a collective $3.4 billion.
The report also found that the loss of international students could put as many as 40,000 U.S. jobs at risk.
The report comes amid a series of developments concerning U.S. visa policies. Vice President JD Vance has backed a proposed six-figure fee for H-1B visas that would apply to most new applicants. The proposed fee is $103,265, replacing an earlier plan to charge $100,000 for the visa that was struck down by the courts. (ANI)
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