The number of new international students looking to study at US colleges has fallen sharply amid tighter immigration policies and growing uncertainty over student visa, with new enrolment dropping 17 per cent in autumn 2025 compared with the previous year.
The decline, reported by CNBC and based on data from the US Department of State and the Institute of International Education, comes as international applications to US universities also fall, raising concerns about the country’s ability to attract overseas students in the coming academic year.
The Common App reported a 10 per cent decline in international applicants for the 2026-27 academic year, describing it as the steepest drop recorded in its data.
The decline was particularly pronounced among applicants from Asia and Africa, potentially affecting prospective Nigerian students seeking admission to US universities.
The Common App also reported that fewer students outside the US are creating accounts on its platform, suggesting that the pipeline of international applicants could continue to shrink.
The changes come amid tighter US immigration policies affecting international students, including a proposed four-year limit on F-1 and J-1 student stays, as well as delays and limited availability of visa appointments.
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Jamie Beaton, co-founder and chief executive officer of college consultancy firm Crimson Education, said the impact would not be evenly distributed across US universities.
According to Beaton, highly ranked institutions such as Harvard, Stanford, MIT and Duke are likely to remain attractive because of the strength and depth of their international applicant pools.
However, mid-ranked private universities and regional public institutions that depend heavily on international students could face greater financial pressure as prospective students consider alternative destinations, including the United Kingdom, Australia and Singapore.
Fitch Ratings has also warned that universities with large graduate and STEM programmes could face challenges under the new visa rules, particularly when students require more than four years to complete their programmes.
International students often pay full tuition or receive less financial aid than domestic students, meaning a sustained decline in their numbers could significantly affect university revenues.
The decline could also have wider economic consequences for the US. An analysis by NAFSA estimated that a fall in international student numbers could cost local economies about $3.4 billion and put up to 40,000 jobs at risk.
For Nigerian students and families considering the US for higher education, the latest figures point to a more uncertain environment, particularly regarding student visa access and the ability to complete longer academic programmes.
Vanguard
