Fewer International Students in US Universities

May 12, 2026, 18:04
USInternational

Introduction

Fewer students from other countries are going to universities in the USA. This is because the government has strict rules about coming into the country.

Main Body

Many universities have fewer students now. For example, some programs have 20% or 24% fewer students. This happened because the government made it hard to get visas. Some students from China had more problems. Universities are losing a lot of money. International students pay a lot for classes. Now, universities lose over 1 billion dollars. Some schools do not hire new workers or they pay bosses less money. Students are now choosing other countries. Many students go to schools in Asia. China is spending more money to attract students from Africa and Asia. The USA is losing its top place in the world.

Conclusion

US universities have less money and fewer students. This is because the immigration rules are too strict.

Learning

The 'Less' and 'Fewer' Secret

In this story, we see two words for 'not many'. They look similar, but we use them differently:

1. FEWER →\rightarrow Use this for things you can count (1, 2, 3...)

  • Fewer students (You can count 10 students)
  • Fewer rules (You can count 5 rules)

2. LESS →\rightarrow Use this for things you cannot count (money, time, water)

  • Less money (You don't say 'one money, two moneys')
  • Less time (You don't say 'one time, two times' when talking about duration)

Quick Guide: Can I count it? →\rightarrow Fewer Is it a 'mass' or a 'feeling'? →\rightarrow Less

Vocabulary Learning

students (n.)
people who are studying at school or university
Example:Students study hard every day.
countries (n.)
places with their own government and borders
Example:Many students travel to different countries for education.
going (v.)
moving from one place to another
Example:She is going to the university next week.
universities (n.)
large schools where people study after high school
Example:He plans to attend a university in the USA.
government (n.)
the group of people who run a country
Example:The government made new rules about visas.
strict (adj.)
having very tight rules
Example:The school has strict rules about attendance.
rules (n.)
instructions that people must follow
Example:Students must follow the rules at school.
hard (adj.)
difficult to do
Example:Getting a visa is hard for many students.
visas (n.)
official papers that let you enter a country
Example:She applied for a student visa.
problems (n.)
difficulties or issues
Example:Some students face many problems when studying abroad.
losing (v.)
no longer having something
Example:The university is losing money each year.
money (n.)
currency used to buy goods
Example:They need more money to pay for classes.
pay (v.)
give money to someone for work
Example:Students pay their tuition fees.
classes (n.)
groups of lessons taught by a teacher
Example:She attends several classes every week.
hire (v.)
give someone a job
Example:The school will hire new teachers next month.
workers (n.)
people who do jobs
Example:Workers in the university help with maintenance.
bosses (n.)
people who manage other people
Example:Bosses expect employees to be punctual.
choosing (v.)
selecting something
Example:Students are choosing schools in Asia.
attract (v.)
draw people towards something
Example:The country wants to attract more students.
world (n.)
the planet Earth
Example:The university is known worldwide.
immigration (n.)
moving to another country to live
Example:Immigration rules affect student numbers.
too (adv.)
also, in addition
Example:The rules are too strict for many.