The U.S. States Losing the Most International Students
Photo Credit: Prostock-studio / Shutterstock
International students have long been a cornerstone of the U.S. higher education system, contributing not only tuition revenue but also research capacity, workforce development, and global academic exchange. For decades, the United States has ranked among the world’s leading destinations for students seeking degrees abroad, supported by a network of universities, research institutions, and vocational programs. To study in the United States, most foreign nationals must obtain a student visa—typically either an F visa for academic study or an M visa for vocational training.
In recent years, however, the landscape for international students studying in the U.S. has become more challenging. New policy changes—including mandatory in-person interviews and thorough vetting of social media profiles—have introduced new uncertainty for prospective students. At the same time, interest in international education is growing in Europe and certain Asian countries, indicating increased competition for U.S. educational institutions.
To better understand these trends, researchers from Manifest Law—a modern immigration law firm focusing on immigration visas—analyzed U.S. Department of Homeland Security F-1 and M-1 visa data to extract insights about where international students in the U.S. are studying, where they’re coming from, and how these trends are changing over time.
Here are the key takeaways from the analysis:
- More than 90% of international students are in higher education. Over 1.1 million students are enrolled in postsecondary programs, including 512,841 in master’s, 351,908 in bachelor’s, and 188,184 in doctoral programs.
- Nearly half of all international students in the U.S. come from India and China. India (350,237 students) and China (229,463) dominate enrollment, far outpacing the next closest country South Korea (42,160).
- Enrollment peaked in 2025 and is now leveling off. International student totals reached 1,325,800 in March 2025 during a post-pandemic rebound before declining to 1,279,758 in March 2026.
- Washington and Hawaii saw the largest percentage declines. International student counts dropped 15.8% in Washington and 10.5% in Hawaii from 2025 to 2026, with significant declines also found in states like Montana (-9.9%) and Missouri (-7.4%).
As featured on