A new report says student visa refusals reached a 35% high last year, and in some countries more than 90% of applications were rejected, challenging the “merit-based entry” premise. The article frames the problem as a systemic impact on international enrollment pipelines, especially where denial rates are concentrated in specific source countries. For U.S. colleges and universities, this heightens admissions risk planning for international student yield, staffing, and financial model assumptions. It also increases pressure on schools to strengthen documentation support and compliance readiness in the visa process as policy and adjudication patterns remain unpredictable.