ByMichael T. Nietzel,
Senior Contributor.
New international students are shifting away from American universities toward institutions in Europe and Asia, according to a new survey. It’s the latest sign that the Trump administration’s various visa restrictions and anti-immigration policies are having a downward effect on international college student numbers in the U.S.
The results come from the Global Enrolment Benchmark Survey conducted by NAFSA, Oxford Test of English, and Studyportals. A sample of 461 universities from 63 countries self-reported their international student enrollments during August–October 2025. The sample was composed of 201 universities from the U.S., 133 from Europe, 39 from the United Kingdom, 20 from Canada, 26 from Asia and 42 from additional regions like South America, Australia and the Middle East.
Enrollment of international students was generally higher across the globe with two notable exceptions — the United States and Canada. In the U.S., new international enrollments dropped 6% at the undergraduate level and 19% among graduate students. In Canada, undergraduate enrollments declined 36% on average, and graduate enrollments were off 35%.
