TEMPE, AZ — As Arizona universities start school again, all three of the state's public universities are seeing a drop in enrollment of international students.
This is the first full college school year to see a drop in international enrollment at all three universities.
It comes after President Donald Trump took office again and made some policy changes that cracked down on international visas.
While Arizona State University is seeing its largest class of students starting this fall, the number of international students has declined by 3%, according to Matt Lopez, the deputy vice president of enrollment at ASU.
Lopez said they have roughly 14,600 international students, which is down from the Fall of 2024 at 15,104.
In the fall of 2023, the university had a little more than 14,000 students.
"There's obviously been shifts and a lot of focus on kind of our immigration system within our country," Lopez said. "There's been this balance between kind of national security and also the interests of universities to have these students join us. So, the net effect so far is we have been unable to enroll or have as many students as we had hoped join us this fall."
According to documents discussed in the Arizona Board of Regents meeting in June, Northern Arizona University projected a 23% decline in international students this fall compared to the years past, and the University of Arizona projected a decline of 4%.
The universities have been looking for ways to accommodate international students.
Lopez said some international students may be joining them late or are learning with them through online programs, including some programming that could be done in-person in other countries through the ASU Cintana Alliance.
Lopez said at ASU, the largest population of international students come from India, and they've seen some of their students unable to get visa appointments.
"We've been incredibly active to ensure that we're providing personalized, very individualized pathways that allow the students to stay connected," Lopez said.
The decline in international students not only impacts the universities, but also the economy in Arizona.
According to a study done by an economist for ASU President Michael Crow, the university's international students have an annual impact of nearly $700 million in the state.
These economic impacts come from tuition, housing, and more.
As the school year is now underway at ASU, Lopez believes there will be some more international students joining them, but not in a large influx.
The University of Arizona says it is monitoring developments from the federal government, offering the statement:
The U of A is committed to the success and well-being of all international students and scholars. International Student Services and International Faculty & Scholar Services closely monitor immigration-related developments and communicate directly to provide timely and accurate information. In addition, Counseling & Psych Services provides mental health support and resources tailored to students' needs. As always, we encourage all our international students and scholars to reach out with any questions. University staff are here to help.
Northern Arizona University also sent the following statement:
NAU is committed to providing access to an exceptional education for all qualified students from Arizona, across the United States, and around the world. Our international students are vital members of our university community, and we continue to work closely with them on an individualized basis to support their application, enrollment, and success at NAU.