Universities and universities rely heavily on international students for research and tuition fees. Without them, many schools would be neutralised, officials say.
Trump destroys visas when some students face deportation
Visas for international students around the US have been unexpectedly revoked under the Trump administration’s agenda to reduce the number of legal and undocumented immigrants.
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WASHINGTON – For scientists hoping to study in the US, Europe has a clear message. Come here instead.
If the Trump administration continues to cut research funds and detain foreign-born students, universities are beginning to fear that a great mind might do just that.
In the first week of May, some of the European Union’s most well-known leaders gathered to launch a new initiative called “Picking Europe for Science.” From the Sorbonne, France’s most well-known university, they announced an investment of 500 million euros aimed at attracting foreign researchers and university students to their European campuses.
Donald Trump with a thin veiled swipe, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen noted that the new programme is in stark contrast to the state of research funding in other world regions where “the role of science in today’s world is being questioned.”
“Science has no passports, gender, ethnicity, or political parties,” she added, “the investment in basic, free and open research is being questioned.”
American universities and universities have long been the most desirable destinations for students around the world. Hundreds of thousands of people gather in the United States every year to enroll in undergraduate and graduate programs. According to NAFSA, the International Association of Educators, in the 2023-24 grades alone, foreign students have donated more than $43 billion to the US economy.
International students have long played an important role in supporting research, budgets and educational programs at many US universities. However, the recent changes to the Trump administration’s immigration education policy have led to widespread uncertainty in these schools. There, administrators say that if students from abroad choose to study in the US, they are blessed with a greater crisis.
Amid an unprecedented move, the Department of Homeland Security in April threatened to eliminate its ability to register Harvard foreign students.
If that happened at Harvard, the outcome elsewhere would be devastating, said Suzanne Ortega, chairman of the Graduate Council.
“The bottom line is that students have the option of where to go. If they choose to go to another country that appears to be more welcoming, those countries’ profits will be US losses,” she said.
In a recent interview with CNN, Education Secretary Linda McMahon said she acknowledged the importance of academic research, but believes the federal government should play a smaller role in supporting it.
“Universities across the country have done an incredible amount of research,” she said. “It’s not an obligation for taxpayers to really put bills on the ground for all of that.”
Confusion in student immigration records
In addition to cutting federal support for academic research, the federal government has targeted international students since the start of President Donald Trump’s second term as part of a wider immigration crackdown.
In March, university officials looked at it disappointingly as the Department of Homeland Security began quietly deleting records of thousands of foreign students from the federal immigration database.
At first, it was unclear why the student records were finished. The Trump administration later revealed in court that the immigration records they erased allowed foreign students to legally remain in the United States and were cross-referenced in another national crime database. In some cases, the lawyer said students changed their legal status for minor traffic violations, such as unpaid parking tickets.
Ron Cushing, director of International Services at the University of Cincinnati, said Chaos continued after the end began. The students he worked with were shocked, and it was not clear what they should do next.
“The only real option for most of these students was to get a lawyer,” he said.
As he understood it, once the student’s records were finished, their legal status in the country was at risk. After the gust of a lawsuit filed by students, judges across the country ordered an injunction stating that the Trump administration is likely to be in violation of the law.
The Justice Department ultimately restored immigration records for many students, but the court battle emphasized that the government was willing to expand its enforcement power to deport students.
Trump administration officials accused many international students of supporting Hamas, and characterized the revocation of student visas as part of a broader campaign to quell anxiety on university campuses.
The university is dependent on international students
International students make up about 6% of the higher education population, but they play a major role in supporting school education, research and budgeting.
Unlike domestic students, they are more likely to pay full tuition fees. In many schools, enrolling one international student can at least triple the financial benefits of enrolling university students.
“There are many reasons why many institutions are looking to consider international registration as one solution to address their financial challenges,” he said.
For STEM-centric graduate programs, the number of international students typically outweighs the number of students in the country, according to data from the Graduate Council. That dynamic often allows more degrees to US-born students. By paying tuition fees and educational classes, international students help maintain academic programs that many schools would otherwise struggle with.
Of course, foreign students will help more than campus budgets, says Kevin Timlin, executive director of international education and services in southeastern Missouri.
It also brings a new perspective to the classroom. The intercultural bonds that form on campus like him have created more tolerance and make the world a better place, he said. For Timlyn, that’s what university is all about.
“International students don’t just reinforce what we’re doing,” he said. “They are essential to what we do.”
Contributions: Sarachelnikov and Jennifer Bolesen
Zachary Schermele is an education reporter for USA Today. You can contact him by email at zschermele@usatoday.com. Follow him on X at @Zachschermele and follow Bluesky at @Zachschermele.bsky.social.
