More Students May Choose China
International enrollment in U.S. colleges is falling sharply, with 150,000 fewer foreign students expected in 2025. New visa restrictions and canceled appointments in countries like India and China have reduced arrivals by up to 40%. The loss could cost the U.S. economy $7 billion this year, since each student spends about $35,000 on housing, food, and transport, supporting one American job for every three who study here. Unlike Canada, Australia, and the UK, where international students make up over a quarter of enrollment, the U.S. risks losing talent, tuition, and goodwill. The math is simple: fewer students mean weaker universities and diminished communities.
Unknown photographer, Chinese Students Club of Cornell University, c. 1910. Public domain.(Note: Chinese students helped shape U.S. campuses — a flow that may now reverse).