The number of international students that traveled to the U.S. in August dropped by almost 20 percent, according to federal data analyzed by The New York Times.
The 19 percent difference compared to last year was the biggest decline outside of the COVID-19 pandemic. In a separate federal tracker, the increase of foreign students in August was 23 percent smaller than in 2024.
The numbers are not a perfect picture as some international students from last year might have stayed over the summer and others could arrive in September. It also doesn’t indicate how many new students decided to avoid the U.S. this year as the numbers include current and new international students coming to the country.
Data shows a 24 percent drop for Asian students while Europeans students saw a 2 percent decline. The numbers also show a 32 percent drop for African students, Middle Eastern students had a 17 percent decline and South American students were down at 11 percent, according to the Times.
The U.S. typically hosts over a million foreign students, with a majority coming from Asia.
The drop comes as the Trump administration has implemented policies advocates say deter international students such as a stronger social media vetting process, arresting pro-Palestinian students and threatening schools to only let in a certain number of foreign students.
There were also delays in processing visas and visa interviews that could have contributed to students either arriving late or choosing other places to study.
Over 200 international students have recently sued the Trump administration to get their visas reinstated.
