- Immigrant Times
- 21 hours ago
- 4 min read
Behave or face cuts: Trump administration ties university funding to international student crackdown
American universities are concerned about the effects on academic freedom and global collaboration
By The Immigrant Times*
The Trump administration has threatened leading American universities like Harvard and Columbia with financial repercussions unless they ‘behave’
October 2025: In a move that has sent shockwaves through US higher education, the President Trump administration is offering federal funding incentives to universities that comply with new restrictions on foreign students, while threatening cuts to those that resist. The policy, outlined in letters sent to more than 60 academic institutions, demands caps on international enrolment, tuition freezes, and ideological neutrality in exchange for access to grants and White House events.
Among the hardest hit are universities with large Chinese student populations. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced in May that the administration would begin aggressively revoking visas for Chinese nationals, particularly those in ‘critical fields’ or with alleged ties to the Chinese Communist Party. The lack of clarity around what constitutes a ‘critical field’ has left STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) departments scrambling, as Chinese students make up 16 per cent of US graduate STEM enrolment.
Columbia University, facing a $400 million funding freeze, has agreed to reduce its reliance on international students and will restructure its Middle East studies department to regain federal support. Harvard, Johns Hopkins, and Northwestern are among 25 elite institutions undergoing painful readjustments, with some forced to repay millions in federal grants.
University administrators are voicing concern over the chilling effect on academic freedom and global collaboration. A spokesperson for the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) said the school remains committed to international education and will not compromise its values for funding. Meanwhile, smaller institutions reliant on Chinese tuition revenue are quietly weighing compliance.
The crackdown could lead to a 30 to 40 per cent drop in new foreign enrolments in 2025, with Chinese students, who once made up nearly a quarter of all international students in the US, disproportionately affected.
Welcoming foreign students to American universities is a policy that shapes the country’s future relations with the world. “The ties formed between American and international students today are the basis of relationships for future business and trade, science and innovation, and government relations.”
India sent the most international students to the US for higher education with more than 331,000 students enrolled, according to the 2023/24 data from Open Doors.
China followed as the second leading country of origin with more than 277,000 students, including nearly 123,000 graduate students, studying in the US. It’s the leading nation for sending undergraduates and non-degree students to America. Combined, India and China account for more than half of all international students in the country.
International students contribute not only academic and athletic talent to their campuses but also billions of dollars in economic activity across the nation.
According to the Association of International Educators (NAFSA), the 1.1 million international students at US colleges and universities contributed $43.8 billion to the economy during the 2023/24 academic year and supported more than 378,000 jobs.
The numbers
• Total international students in US higher education (2023/24): 1.1 million, an all-time high.
• Chinese students: Historically the largest group, but numbers are declining due to visa revocations and political scrutiny.
• Revenue impact: International students often pay full tuition, contributing 10 to 50 per cent of net tuition revenue at some institutions
Foreign students at leading US universities (2024)
• Harvard: 7,000
Notes: Represents over 25% of total enrollment; students from 140+ countries
• Yale: 3,600
Includes scholars, trainees, and students from 129 countries
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT): 3,300
Notes: International students make up 29% of the total student body.
• New York University: 21,000
Notes: Historically the top US host of international students.
• University of Southern California (USC): 17,000
Notes: Strong presence of Chinese and Indian students
• Columbia University: 16,000
Notes: Facing federal funding pressure over foreign student policies
• Northwestern University: 15,000
Notes: High proportion of STEM graduate students
• University of Illinois: 13,000
Notes: Large Chinese undergraduate population
• Purdue University: 10,000
Notes: Noted for engineering and STEM programmes
• Stevens Institute of Technology: 2,500
Notes: 25%+ of total enrolment is international
Countries of origin of international students in the US (2023/24)
India 332,000 (29.4% of all foreign students in the US)
China 277,000 (24.6%)
South Korea 43,200 (3.8%)
Canada 29,000 (2.6%)
Taiwan 23,200 (2.1%
Nigeria 20,000 (1.8%)
Bangladesh 17,100 (1.5%)
Brazil 16,900 (1.5%)
Nepal 16,700 (1.5%)
Mexico 15,500 (1.4%
Japan 14,000 (1.2%)
Iran 12,400 (1.1%)
Pakistan 11,000 (1.0%)
*Methodology: The research was carried out in October 2025.
*Sources: Open Doors; OPB; Inside Higher Ed; Migration Policy Institute; The Hill
Further reading: Teaching and training for refugees in Europe || Trump favours money over skills ||
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