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News Topical, Digital Desk : The number of international students arriving in the United States fell 19 percent in August compared to last year. This is the largest decline in international student arrivals in the US since the COVID-19 pandemic.
The decline in international student numbers comes as the Trump administration has delayed visa processing, imposed travel restrictions on 19 countries, threatened to deport international students who make pro-Palestinian speeches, and tightened scrutiny of student visa applicants.
How many students go to America?
This data, based on international student arrival records, includes both new international students entering the United States and existing international students returning to the country. This means that the number of new students is not known. However, in the past, students arriving in August have been an indicator of fall enrollment.
Most international students arrive in August for the fall semester, as they cannot enter the country more than 30 days before their programs begin. The United States has the largest number of international students of any country, at around 1.3 million, according to recent government data.
70% of students are from Asia
More than 70 percent of these students are from Asia, and the number of Asian students declined by 24 percent in August this year. Nearly one in three international students is Indian. The number of Indian students declined by 44 percent in August this year. One in five international students is from China, and the number of Chinese students continued to decline this year.
The increase in visa fees will impact universities and colleges.
President Donald Trump's $100,000 fee for the new H-1B visa will have a profound impact not only on tech companies and financial firms, but it will also impact the education system and be visible in classrooms across the country.
Some university and college presidents said the fee hike would hinder their ability to hire faculty members through the visa program. Others said their schools could not afford the fees, making it difficult to find math and special education teachers.
Lynn Pasquerella, president of the Association of American Colleges and Universities, said many schools rely on visas to fill positions in science, technology, engineering, math and medical fields. The fee hike will further limit the recruitment of foreign doctors.
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