International graduate student enrollment declining

An update of graduate student enrollment indicates that numbers in the U.S.A. are declining. The decline varies by type of institution with large, research-extensive, institutions actually seeing increases. However, the overall enrollment is declining. While causes cannot be definitively determined, two likely factors are greater competition from other countries and the perception/reality of a hostile climate resulting from Trump administration statements and actions.

Stephen Miller, advisor to President Trump and a leader in devising strategies to reduce immigration, went as far as proposing that all Chinese students be denied visas for enrollment in U.S.A. institutions. The uncertainty caused by even discussion of this type of policy change is likely to cause Chinese students, the largest proportion of U.S.A. international students, to look elsewhere.