The number of international students coming to the US has dropped sharply this fall.

The number of international students coming to the US this fall is down nearly 19% compared to the same period last year, the deepest decline in recent years.

International students in the US - Photo: Brookings Institute

According to the latest data from the National Travel and Tourism Organization (NTTO) of the International Trade Administration (ITA), the US Department of Commerce, the number of international students entering the US in August 2025 decreased by nearly 19% compared to the same period last year, down to about 313,000 arrivals - the lowest level in many years.

This is seen as a clear sign that recent tightening measures on student visas are having a strong impact on the flow of international students to the US.

The report is based on the I-94 program on international arrivals, published on the official data portal of the US Department of Commerce.

Accordingly, in August alone - the peak time of the fall admission period - the US welcomed 313,138 international students, down from 386,940 in August 2024.

Many experts say this figure reflects a worrying trend, as American universities are witnessing a general decline in international enrollment.

According to The PIE News magazine, the number of students coming from Asia decreased by 24%, while Africa decreased by 32% and the Middle East decreased by 17%.

Most notably, India – which accounts for a large proportion of the total number of international students in the US – recorded a decrease of nearly 45% in August alone compared to the same period last year.

Experts say the tightening of F-1 visa issuance, along with stricter financial screening, has caused many applications to be delayed or rejected.

In an interview with Reuters, representatives of several universities in the US said the impact of this trend was clearly seen this fall.

DePaul University, Chicago (USA) said the number of international students decreased by about 30%, with graduate students down by 62%. "We have never seen such a sharp decline in a single year," said the school's director of international admissions.

According to the NAFSA Association for International Education , if this trend continues, the total number of international students studying in the US could decrease by 15% in the 2025-2026 academic year.

Universities and local communities could lose an estimated $7 billion in revenue and more than 60,000 jobs related to international education. States with large numbers of international students, such as California, New York and Texas, would be hardest hit.

Analysts say the reason comes not only from stricter visa policies, but also from increasingly fierce competition from other countries such as Canada, the UK, Australia and Germany, which are expanding visa policies and post-graduation work opportunities.

Meanwhile, the US has just applied a series of new regulations such as stricter financial proof requirements, shortened visa duration and reviewed the visa issuance process for STEM students, causing many international applicants to be hesitant.

The trend of 'reversing' studying abroad?

The US has seen a strong recovery from the pandemic: in 2023, the number of international students studying in the US will reach more than 1.06 million, an increase of 12% compared to 2022. According to the Institute of International Education (IIE), the highest increase in more than a decade.

However, a nearly 20% drop this fall could reverse that trend and pose a major challenge to America's strategy of attracting global talent.

Experts warn that if the US government does not soon adjust its policies to create more favorable conditions for international students, the university system could face a prolonged crisis.

"The US is losing its competitive advantage in international education - one of its most important soft assets," Inside Higher Ed quoted an expert as saying.

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Source: https://tuoitre.vn/du-hoc-sinh-den-my-giam-manh-mua-thu-nay-20251015161500335.htm