New Student Visas Dropped 35.6% Last Summer

"According to Inside Higher Ed's analysis of the data, which was released Friday and covered the months from June to August, the number of student visas issued in summer 2025 declined by more than 100,000 from the previous summer, to 186,160. While the sharpest drop was in F-1 visas, which are for international students studying at a college or university and is the largest category of student visa, the number of J-1 and M-1 visas also declined."

"Experts anecdotally reported that the pause caused a massive backlog in visa applications, leading to excessive wait times for appointments and making it exceedingly difficult for incoming students to secure visas. Data from other sources has also suggested declines in international enrollment in fall 2025. For instance, the Institute for International Education's annual Open Doors report found a 17 percent decline in new international students."

"But the State Department's data-the first to be released since July 2025 -is the most comprehensive yet and shows a more drastic drop than previous reports indicated, according to experts. It's brutal and unmistakable what happened last summer, now, and it's plain for everybody to see. The hard numbers are clear of what the new s"

The Trump administration's temporary freeze on student visa interviews in spring 2025, which included implementing social media reviews for all applicants, resulted in significant declines in student visa issuances. State Department data from June to August 2025 revealed that student visas issued dropped by more than 100,000 compared to the previous summer, totaling 186,160. F-1 visas for college and university students experienced the sharpest decline, while J-1 and M-1 visas also decreased. The pause created massive backlogs in visa applications, causing excessive wait times and making it difficult for incoming students to secure visas. International enrollment declined by 17 percent in fall 2025, with approximately 1.2 million international students representing 6 percent of total U.S. enrollment.

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