Xiaofeng Wan, a former admissions officer at Amherst College, now works as a private consultant to international students who want to come to the US. This week, as he held meetings in China with prospective students, he sensed a deep uncertainty among their parents.

“They really don’t know whether they should send their children to a country where they don’t welcome Chinese students or they see China as a hostile competitor,” Dr Wan said by telephone from Beijing. “It’s an unprecedented situation that we’ve never seen before.” For years, American colleges and universities have attracted growing numbers of international students who often pay full tuition, effectively subsidising domestic students.

But the Trump administration’s recent move to deport hundreds of students here on visas, and his trade war with China, have stoked fears that the US is no longer a welcoming place for international students. This week, the administration also asked Harvard to hand over lists of foreign students, adding to a sense of panic on campuses.

Suzanne Ortega, president of the Council of Graduate Schools, said the chaos of visa terminations had fueled concerns among many students. “I think it sends a powerful signal to friends and family at home that the US is not a safe place to be anymore,” she said.

If the nation gains a reputation for being hostile to international students, it could be devastating for many American colleges and universities.

There were more than 1.1 million international students in the US during the 2023-24 academic year, according to a recent report released by the Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and the Institute of International Education (IIE). The number includes students who remain in the country briefly after graduation to gain work experience.

The report identifies New York University, Northeastern University and Columbia University as the three largest host schools for international students. At NYU, their enrollment has increased nearly 250 per cent over the last decade.

Losing foreign students could also be bad for the broader economy, experts say. International students pumped nearly $44 billion into the American economy and generated 378,000 jobs last year alone, according to NAFSA: Association of International Educators, which promotes international education.

Moody’s, the bond rating agency, downgraded the higher education outlook to “negative” last month, citing federal policy changes as a threat.

The Trump administration has said that it is targeting international students who have broken the law or pose a threat to its foreign policy interests.

New York Times News Service