International student enrollment in 2020 has plummeted due to the New Guinea virus outbreak and a series of bans enacted by the former Trump administration, affecting more students than even schools had predicted in the fall.
According to the Federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), the number of students enrolled in the U.S. on F1 and M1 visas plummeted 18 percent to 1.25 million last year; SEVP manages the Department of Homeland Security’s student visa monitoring system.
Visa records show a 72 percent drop in new student enrollment; U.S. consulates around the world suspended nearly all routine visa operations last spring, meaning students were unable to schedule the in-person visits needed to issue visas.
The Trump Administration announced a series of orders last summer that prevented International Students who were not in the U.S. from entering the country and could only take classes online for the entire duration of the program, adding to the problem for students who could not obtain a visa.
When the new academic year began last August, nearly all campus activities were suspended and F1 student visas were reduced by more than 90 percent.
A quick survey of 700 universities conducted by 10 higher Education institutions last fall showed a 16 percent drop in overall student enrollment and a 43 percent drop in the number of new students.
ICE released more comprehensive data on the 19th, which also included K12 students, students enrolled in academic and vocational programs at universities; the decline was seen across all grade levels, with fewer students coming from countries around the world.
It is unclear whether there will be an improvement next year, with many consulates and embassies remaining closed or processing only emergency visas. The State Department said that as of March 1, only 43 of the 233 consulates were fully operational.
Terry Hartle, senior vice president of public relations for the American Council on Education (ACE), the largest education union, said, “It’s good for America that the world’s top students and scholars are choosing to come to the United States.” He said the demand to come to the United States is still high, but whether the United States can accept them is the question.
Most foreign students on F1 visas come to the U.S. for a bachelor’s or master’s degree, with some specializing in associate and doctoral degrees. The top three schools were Northeastern University, New York University and Columbia University.
International student enrollment is down significantly in 2020 due to the new crown Epidemic and a series of bans enacted by the previous Trump administration. Pictured is Duke University.
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