U.S. student visa arrivals plummeted to a 2021 low, with a 19% drop in September to just over 313,000. This marks five consecutive months of decline, impacting universities financially. The sharpest decrease was seen in Asian students, particularly from India (45%) and China (12%), while Africa experienced a 33% fall. The decline coincides with stricter visa policies, including social media checks and increased fees, causing significant backlogs and lost revenue for American universities.

Prepared by Emily Rhodes and reviewed by editorial team.