President Donald Trump has proposed limiting international students in U.S. universities to 15% of an institution’s undergraduate population, with no more than 5% coming from a single country. The move, framed as a measure to protect national security and ensure that foreign students contribute exceptional talent to the American economy, could significantly reshape the landscape of higher education, as per the post on X.
The proposal emphasizes that universities relying heavily on foreign tuition may risk reducing opportunities for American students. It also warns that campuses could become saturated with students holding values “hostile to the United States,” potentially creating national security risks.
Current data shows that most U.S. universities remain below the proposed 15% cap for foreign undergraduates. Institutions like the University of Arizona and the University of Texas have international student shares of around 4-5%, while Brown University stands at 13.5%. Only a few schools, such as Dartmouth College (15.5%), slightly exceed the proposed limit.
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The 5% cap for single-country representation could affect universities with concentrated international populations. For example, the University of Southern California (USC) has historically enrolled a large number of Chinese undergraduates, with roughly 1,051 students, slightly above the proposed 5% limit. Vanderbilt University may also face challenges, with 377 Chinese undergraduates compared to a 5% cap of 361.
Experts caution that implementing strict caps could limit access for international talent and affect universities that depend on foreign tuition to fund operations. Critics argue that such a policy risk undermining America’s position as a global education hub while creating administrative challenges for institutions tasked with enforcing the limits.
The Trump proposal comes amid an ongoing decline in foreign student enrollment in U.S. universities, reflecting a broader trend influenced by visa restrictions, global competition, and changing student preferences.
DePaul University informed its faculty that it will implement immediate spending cuts after experiencing a 30% drop in international student enrollment this fall. This action reflects a broader trend among U.S. colleges as they adjust to the impact of previous shifts in education and immigration policies under the Trump administration.
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The exact scale of the cuts has not yet been finalized, but potential steps may involve a hiring freeze, reductions in executive salaries, and limits on discretionary spending, university president Robert Manuel stated in a memo to faculty shared this month as per Reuters.
DePaul is not alone, at least 35 other U.S. colleges have also announced budget reductions in response to policies from the Trump administration. Johns Hopkins University eliminated over 2,000 positions in March following an $800 million reduction in federal research grants. Northwestern University cut 425 jobs, and the University of Southern California laid off more than 630 employees, citing declining federal funding, anticipated drops in international student enrollment, and other financial challenges.
As universities continue finalizing their fall enrollment figures, a complete national picture is not yet available. Preliminary data from the Department of Homeland Security’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) shows a 2.4% decline in international students this month compared with last September, dropping from 965,437 to 942,131. However, these numbers remain fluid as many institutions have yet to report their updated totals and student movement continues throughout the semester.
Last year, an estimated 1.2 million international students were enrolled in U.S. institutions, according to NAFSA: Association of International Educators. The organization projected in July that the figure could fall by as much as 15% this year, potentially resulting in an economic loss of nearly $7 billion for the country.