H-1B and international enrollment pressures reshape the academic pipeline

U.S. higher education is facing a sharper-than-expected drag on the international student pipeline, with new federal and institutional data showing international enrollment declines even before the most recent policy shifts. In 2024-25, new international student enrollment fell 7.2% year over year, according to Open Doors data from the Institute of International Education and the State Department, and early fall 2025 data showed a 17% decline for new international student enrollment.