Research universities and higher-education associations ramped up lobbying in 2025 to shape policy on international students, financial aid, AI governance and other priorities. Universities spent millions in Washington to defend research funding, resist proposed visa and regulatory changes, and influence AI and financial-aid rules, according to higher-education reporting. The lobbying push reflects a sector responding to rapid policy shifts and an uncertain federal posture on immigration, competitive research funding, and campus autonomy — and it signals governments and lawmakers will remain a primary battleground for institutional strategy.