Foreign students are vital revenue source for colleges, including many small Christian schools. Now enrollment is sinking amid Trump policies

"One international student after another told the University of Central Missouri this summer that they couldn't get a visa, and many struggled to even land an interview for one. Even though demand was just as high as ever, half as many new international graduate students showed up for fall classes compared to last year. The decline represents a hit to the bottom line for Central Missouri, a small public university that operates close to its margins with an endowment of only $65 million. International students typically account for nearly a quarter of its tuition revenue."

""We aren't able to subsidize domestic students as much when we have fewer international students who are bringing revenue to us," said Roger Best, the university's president. Signs of a decline in international students have unsettled colleges around the U.S. Colleges with large numbers of foreign students and small endowments have little financial cushion to protect them from steep losses in tuition money."

"As part of a broader effort to reshape higher education, President Donald Trump has pressed colleges to limit their numbers of international students and heightened scrutiny of student visas. His administration has moved to deport foreign students involved in pro-Palestinian activism, and new student visa appointments were put on hold for weeks as it ramped up vetting of applicants' social media."

Many incoming international students were unable to secure visas or interviews this summer, producing a steep decline in enrollments at some U.S. colleges. Central Missouri saw half as many new international graduate students arrive for fall, cutting tuition revenue that typically covers nearly a quarter of its income and limiting subsidies for domestic students. Colleges with large shares of international enrollees and small endowments face limited financial cushions. Forecasts predict declines up to 40%, amplifying budgetary stress. Federal policies have increased visa scrutiny, deportations tied to activism, and temporary holds on visa appointments.

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