Recent data indicates a significant reduction in the number of foreign students enrolling in U.S. universities, attributed largely to restrictive federal immigration policies.

近期數據顯示，入讀美國大學的外籍學生人數顯著減少，這主要歸因於限制性的聯邦移民政策。

The quantitative decline in international matriculation is evidenced by a report from a coalition of education groups, including NAFSA, which surveyed 149 institutions. For the spring 2026 semester, undergraduate enrollment decreased by an average of 20%, while graduate programs experienced a more pronounced contraction of 24%. These figures follow a broader downward trend, including a 17% decrease in new enrollments for autumn 2025 and a 36% reduction in student visa issuances during the previous summer.

國際學生入學人數的量化下降，可由一份由包括 NAFSA 在內的教育團體聯盟發表的報告中得到證實，該報告調查了 149 所機構。在 2026 年春季學期，大學部入學人數平均下降了 20%，而研究所課程的萎縮則更為顯著，達 24%。這些數字延續了更廣泛的下降趨勢，包括 2025 年秋季新入學人數下降 17%，以及在前一個夏天學生簽證核發量減少 36%。

Institutional stakeholders attribute this downturn to the strategic objectives of the Trump administration. Specifically, 84% of surveyed institutions identified restrictive government policies as the primary catalyst. These measures include the expansion of travel bans, heightened scrutiny of applicants—particularly those of Chinese nationality—and the implementation of aggressive enforcement actions by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The latter included the detention of students and the revocation of residency statuses, which, despite subsequent judicial reversals, have adversely affected the perceived stability of the U.S. academic environment.

機構利害關係人將此次下滑歸因於川普政府的戰略目標。具體而言，84% 的受訪機構將政府的限制性政策視為主要觸發因素。這些措施包括擴大旅行禁令、加強對申請人（尤其是中國籍申請人）的審查，以及由移民及海關執法局 (ICE) 採取強勢執法行動。後者包括拘留學生及撤銷居留身份，儘管隨後有司法撤銷，但已對美國學術環境穩定性的認知產生負面影響。

Consequently, the fiscal implications for higher education are substantial. Given that international students typically provide full tuition revenue, NAFSA estimates that the autumn 2025 decline alone may result in losses exceeding $1 billion, with acute impacts projected for New York, Massachusetts, and California. Institutional responses have included the implementation of hiring freezes, executive salary reductions, and budgetary contractions, as observed at DePaul University, Northwestern University, and the University of Southern California.

因此，對高等教育的財政影響十分重大。鑑於國際學生通常支付全額學費，NAFSA 估計僅 2025 年秋季的下降就可能導致超過 10 億美元的損失，紐約州、麻薩諸塞州和加州預計將受衝擊最深。機構的應對措施包括實施招聘凍結、削減高管薪資及縮減預算，如德保羅大學、西北大學和南加州大學均有此現象。

Furthermore, a geopolitical shift in the international education market is emerging. While the U.S., Canada, Australia, and the UK have historically maintained dominance, there is a discernible migration of talent toward the Asia-Pacific region. Approximately 82% of institutions in that region reported growth in undergraduate enrollment. China, in particular, is augmenting its capacity as a global hub through increased research investment and scholarship initiatives targeting students from Africa and Asia.

此外，國際教育市場正出現地緣政治轉移。雖然美國、加拿大、澳洲和英國在歷史上一直保持主導地位，但人才向亞太地區遷移的趨勢已清晰可見。該地區約 82% 的機構報告大學部入學人數有所增長。特別是中國，正透過增加研究投資以及針對非洲和亞洲學生的獎學金計畫，提升其作為全球樞紐的能力。

The U.S. higher education sector currently faces a dual crisis of diminishing financial revenue and a loss of global academic competitiveness due to stringent immigration protocols.

由於嚴格的移民協議，美國高等教育部門目前面臨著財政收入減少與全球學術競爭力喪失的雙重危機。