According to recently disclosed U.S. Immigration and Customs data, the number of overseas students arriving in the United States has plunged by 28.5% from July 2024 to July 2025. The slump has particularly rattled students from India and China, the two largest sources of foreign enrollment.
In July 2025, just 76,519 students entered the US on visas, down from 106,993 in July 2024. With Forbes projecting a 50% loss in new student enrollment countrywide, analysts caution that this steep decline may portend a significant drop in new enrollment this autumn.
Indian Students Hit the Hardest
Among the worst-affected are students from India, traditionally one of the largest groups fueling US higher education. Between July 2024 and July 2025, the number of Indian students arrived fell by an astounding 46.4%, from 24,298 to just 13,027.
Chinese students, who also represent a major share of America’s international student population, recorded a 25.6% drop, sliding from 19,634 to 14,601 over the same period.
Other Asian nations, including the Philippines (-40.8%), Vietnam (-36.0%), South Korea (-19.7%), and Taiwan (-14.5%), also reported substantial decreases.
Trump Administration’s Tough Policies Behind the Decline
Education experts attribute the downturn to the Trump administration’s immigration policies, which have introduced uncertainty and fear among overseas applicants. Measures such as:
- Rescinding student visas,
- Delaying visa interviews, and
- Threatening the elimination of Optional Practical Training (OPT)
have discouraged new enrollments and limited travel for current students.
International students were cautioned by several US colleges, including those in Washington, D.C., not to travel abroad during the summer because they would encounter difficulties getting back in time for the fall session.
Timing Clash with University Calendars
Another factor exacerbating the situation is the strict visa-entry rule: new international students cannot arrive earlier than 30 days before their program begins. For universities like Georgetown, George Washington, George Mason, American University, and the University of Maryland, where classes begin in late August, the majority of arrivals are expected in July and early August.
The steep July decline signals that the fall 2025 intake will likely see a historic drop in first-time arrivals, affecting university finances and diversity initiatives nationwide.
Year-to-Date Trends Show Broader Weakness
Between January and July 2025, international student arrivals were down by 7.7% compared to the same period in 2024, according to ADIS/I-94 data provided by the US Department of Commerce. While that figure may seem modest, the July numbers reveal the most alarming dip yet—pointing toward a worsening trend in August.
Experts caution that while year-to-date data softens the shock, the real enrollment crisis will unfold in fall, when official figures on new student enrollment are published.
Also Read: US Senator Mike Lee Asks: Should H1-B Visas Be Paused Amid Tariff Dispute?
Global Competition for Students Heats Up
As the US tightens restrictions, competitor countries like Canada, the UK, and Australia continue to position themselves as more welcoming destinations for international students. Whether this chilling impact under Trump’s proposals will result in a permanent shift in international student mobility away from the United States is the long-term issue for American universities.
