US Universities Brace for Big Decline in International Enrollment

Universities preparing for big declines in international enrollment and revenues will be further depressed by a federal decision to strip students of their visa status if they do not attend college and university in person this fall. “Active students currently in the United States enrolled in such programs must depart the country or take other measures, such as transferring to a school with in-person instruction, to remain in lawful status,” stated the FILE – Graduating seniors of Brophy College Preparatory wait their turn to walk down the aisle to the stage individually during Diploma Days due to the coronavirus in Phoenix, Arizona, May 28, 2020.“This is terrifying,” tweeted Aaron Kirkpatrick from Northern Ireland, a Ph.D. candidate at Baylor University in Texas. “I couldn’t go home to renew the F1 because embassies are shut due to the pandemic. If I’m made to leave, I’ll likely not be allowed reentry again.” In May, a report from the FILE – A student takes classes online with his companions using the Zoom app at home.Soo Hyun Kim, a South Korean international student at George Mason University, says he plans to take courses fully online from South Korea because there are still potential dangers of the coronavirus and because he feels he will not be able to experience U.S. life to the full extent. “Some reasons as to why international students go to U.S. universities is because they want to experience American education, culture and social life,” he told VOA.“My parents are afraid because the cases are still growing, but they understand that the college is making an effort to have a better and safe environment,” said Vitor Lacerda Siqueira, a Brazilian international student at Stetson University in Florida. The physics major said he plans to return to campus this fall.“As I have laboratory classes and choir, the education I get from an online format is not the best I can have,” the incoming sophomore said. “Also, the bad connection I have at home makes it hard for me to access the content. I would prefer to request a leave of absence than having online classes again.” Plummeting revenues  The anticipated decline in foreign students is also expected to have a huge financial toll on U.S. higher education.  International students comprise 5% of higher education enrollment in the United States, according to a study done by the FILE – A sign on the empty campus of Champlain College in Burlington, Vermont, March 11, 2020.Additionally, those coming from outside of the U.S. for higher education opportunities receive less financial aid than domestic students.  A FILE – University student Piera Gerry is back home with her parents where she continues her studies online after schools closed due to the coronavirus outbreak, in Berkhamsted, England, April 5, 2020.London Economics released a report on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on university finances in April and stated that Britain would see a reduction of approximately 14,000 students for the upcoming academic year. Canada, which has been more attractive to some international students than the U.S. because of its easier immigration pathway, is also expecting the number of international students to decline because of the pandemic. The Royal Bank of Canada reported in a study last month that new international student permits dropped by 45% this March and stated travel restrictions and visa-processing delays would likely slow international student arrivals in the future. A report from the Australian Population Research Institute said thousands of student visa holders are likely to defer or delay their studies in Australia, limiting overseas student revenue for Australian universities. The international education sector contributed $39 billion to the Australian economy in 2019, according to Universities Australia, a higher education advocacy group.The continual growth of international students studying in the United States contributed $41 billion and supported 458,290 jobs to the U.S. economy during the 2018-2019 academic year, according to NAFSA. The United States hit an all-time high of 1,095,299 international students, mostly from China, in 2019, according to the Institute of International Education. But the rate of growth showed flattening for two years prior. “With a global competition for talent, we must ensure that students feel safe and can attain the best education and experience possible here in the United States. Unfortunately, this administration continues to enact policies which only increase the barriers to studying here, and that’s a serious concern,” Brimmer of NAFSA stated.  “At a time when new international student enrollment is in decline, our nation risks losing global talent with new policies that hurt us academically and economically.” 

0 thoughts on “US Universities Brace for Big Decline in International Enrollment

leave a reply: