In Oxford, Ohio, a town of 20,000 residents, the streets are lined with Chinese, Indian and Uyghur restaurants – a reflection of the international students who once flocked to nearby Miami University. But that diversity is fading as the number of overseas students enrolling at US universities falls sharply, with consequences for local economies.
Miami University welcomed 2,895 international students in the autumn of 2019, but by last year that figure had fallen to just 750. Fei Yang, who opened the MImian Chinese restaurant in Oxford in 2018, said there were once thousands of Chinese students in the town. "There used to be 2,000 to 3,000, but now there is like 300, 400 maybe," he said, adding that Covid-19 had stopped many from coming.
The decline is being felt across the country. An estimated 150,000 fewer international students are expected to study at US universities this autumn compared with last year – a drop of about 40%. The Trump administration's response to campus protests against the war in Gaza has fuelled the falloff, with stricter screening procedures introduced in June, including a requirement for applicants to make their social media profiles public. About 6,000 student visas have been revoked this year, some for minor offences such as speeding.
The trend predates the current administration. Tariffs imposed on China during Donald Trump's first term, along with Covid travel restrictions in 2020, prompted a massive fall in students coming to the US, with many Chinese students choosing the UK and Australia instead.
The economic impact is significant. International students contributed around $50bn to the US economy in 2023 through tuition, rent and other spending. For Miami University, where international students pay more than $65,000 a year, the loss of numbers represents a potential shortfall of about $140m. States such as Ohio, Kentucky and Iowa – all Trump strongholds – could lose $200m, $45m and $43m respectively, while Florida's economy might see losses of up to $243m.
Tara Sone said the problem affects every kind of institution. "We tend to think that foreign students only go to big Ivy League schools in big cities. But if you look at a recent Brookings Institution report, it is clear that every school, small, medium and large, in every town or city – small, medium or large – need income from international students."
