Despite fears of a steep decline, international student enrollment in the U.S. fell by just 1% this fall, as new data suggest universities are weathering visa and immigration challenges better than expected.

After months of concern about visa delays and tightening immigration rules, new data show that international student enrollment in the U.S. has held steady.

According to the Department of Homeland Security’s Student Exchange and Visitor Information System (SEVIS), the total number of international students in the U.S. dropped only 1% between October 2024 and October 2025. The figures cover students on F-1 and M-1 visas, including those enrolled in language training, vocational, and academic programs.

International students continue to make up about 22% of full-time graduate enrollment nationwide, helping sustain key programs even as budgets tighten. A few smaller institutions even posted gains: Bethany Lutheran College in Minnesota saw a 50% rise in international students.

The breakdown shows modest variation across levels: bachelor’s degree enrollment among international students fell 1%, while master’s programs dropped 2%. Associate degree programs saw a 7% increase, and doctoral enrollment grew 2%.

These numbers are far better than early projections. The association for international educators, NAFSA, had predicted a 15% overall decline, with graduate programs hardest hit.

"Master’s [programs] have been very hit. And in addition to master’s being hit, programs like computer sciences and STEM in particular have been mostly affected," said NAFSA CEO Fanta Aw, Inside Higher Ed reported.

Local data still reveal steep decline at several schools. An Inside Higher Ed analysis of nine U.S. colleges and universities found an average year-over-year 29% decline in international graduate enrollment, suggesting that while national totals remain stable, certain campuses, especially those reliant on graduate enrollment, are still feeling significant pressure.

At the University of Wisconsin–Madison, for example, master’s enrollment fell 22% from last fall, while Ph.D. enrollment dipped only 1%. The University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School reported that international students now make up 26% of its MBA class, down five percentage points from the previous year. At Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, the proportion dropped from 47% to 38%.

Aw said the outlook for 2026 remains uncertain. "The current environment is still too uncertain for [graduate] students to even consider potentially applying," she warned, as cited by Inside Higher Ed. "You cannot have enrollment if they’re not even applying."

Some universities saw sharper cuts tied to visa issues. Northwest Missouri State University’s international graduate enrollment plunged from 557 to 125 after 43 students lost their visa status earlier this year. Georgetown University reported a 20% decline in foreign graduate enrollment, which contributed to a $100 million budget reduction in April. DePaul University in Chicago saw a 63% drop in new international graduate students, far steeper than its financial models had anticipated.

Community colleges have struggled more acutely. Bellevue College in Washington and Southeast Missouri State both reported declines exceeding 50%, largely due to visa denials and processing backlogs.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5797079&forum_id=2).#49425584)