Nigerian students, other foreigners’ enrolment in U.S. universities drops 17% amid visa crackdown

The number of international students enrolling in American higher education institutions has, for the first time, declined by 17 per cent this year amid persistent efforts by President Donald Trump to crack down on large-scale immigration into the United States.

According to a report published by the Institute of International Education on Monday, the 17 per cent decrease in the number of international students on American campuses starting from the second half of this year is a significant contrast to the nearly steady one per cent decline from the last academic session.

According to The New York Times, the institute conducted the study by gathering data from less than a quarter of degree-awarding American universities and colleges, specifically those with high numbers of international students.

The report noted that 57 per cent of the approximately 825 schools that participated in the study reported decreases in new enrollment from international students.

Despite the lack of clarity about international student enrolment, the latest report published by the institute roughly aligns with separate data from the Department of Homeland Security on students on visas, which could signal a further decrease in the number of foreign students on American campuses in the coming years, the Times reported.

The decline can be attributed to the aggressive policies embarked upon by the Trump administration, including the cut of research funding and grants to several American universities earlier this year, which forced the schools to limit the number of admissions given to foreign applicants, especially graduate students.

Potential international students are also skeptical of going to the United States after the Trump administration revoked thousands of student visas due to the victims allegedly having “anti-American and antisemitic” views, while also updating U.S. visa requirements to include screening of applicants’ social media profiles to determine admissibility into American soil.

Recently, Mr Trump signed an executive order raising the sponsorship fee of H-1B work visas from $5,000 to $100,000 per year for American companies seeking to hire employees from Nigeria and other countries, making it more difficult for graduates to switch from student visas to long-term visa categories.