The higher-education lobby has put a price tag on President Donald Trump’s crackdown on student visas and international enrollment: $3.4 billion.
The figures come from the Association of International Educators (NAFSA) and JB International, which project U.S. colleges and universities could enroll as many as 111,000 fewer international students during the 2026-27 academic year, a 9.5 percent drop from the current year, costing $3.4 billion in economic contributions and more than 39,000 jobs.
NAFSA’s numbers are preliminary projections, not final fall enrollment totals. The organization is also asking the Trump administration to reverse several policies it identifies as contributing to the decline.
The estimate is based partly on responses to the Institute of International Education’s Spring 2026 Snapshot on International Educational Exchange. NAFSA projects roughly 1.057 million international students this fall, down from an estimated 1.169 million in 2025-26. International enrollment reached about 1.178 million in 2024-25 after rebounding from the pandemic.
International students contributed $43.8 billion to the U.S. economy and supported 378,000 jobs during the 2023-24 academic year, according to NAFSA. Its projection for 2026-27 is $38.3 billion and 294,000 jobs.
A December 2025 executive order imposed travel restrictions affecting nationals of 39 countries, with no exception for F-1 students or J-1 exchange-visitor applicants. NAFSA also points to limited or delayed visa appointments in India and China, the two largest countries sending international students to the United States. The State Department prioritized visa processing for FIFA World Cup ticket holders during part of the traditional student-visa season this summer.