Quick highlights
- A new global survey shows North American universities are losing international students because of government policies.
- Enrolments and commencements are down in both Canada and the US at the bachelor’s and master’s levels.
- Asian and European universities are gaining market share, while the UK remains stable.
North American universities are facing a serious setback in international student recruitment. New data from the Global Enrolment Benchmark Survey, published by NAFSA, the Oxford Test of English, and Studyportals, shows sharp declines in enrolment across the US and Canada. At the same time, institutions in Europe and Asia are attracting more students and gaining ground in the global market.
The survey reached 461 universities across 63 countries during the August to October 2025 intake. More than half of those institutions were located in the US, Canada, and the UK, with just over 130 coming from Europe and 26 from Asia.
Visa barriers are rising fast.
Institutions reported much heavier pressure from visa restrictions and government policies than in previous years. In the 2025 intake, 68 percent flagged these issues as major obstacles, up from 51 percent in 2024.
This shift is driven mainly by the responses from North America. In the US, 85 percent of universities now consider visa barriers a major problem. Canada is even higher at 90 percent.
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Canada and the US report steep drops in enrolments.
The most severe declines are in Canada.
- 82 percent of Canadian universities saw fewer international undergraduates.
- 71 percent reported fewer postgraduate students.
In the US:
- 48 percent reported a drop in undergraduate enrolments.
- 63 percent saw declines at the postgraduate level.
New international enrolments show the clearest shift. Canada experienced drops of more than one-third at both the bachelor’s and master’s levels. The US recorded a major decline in new master’s students and a moderate decline in bachelor’s entrants.
Meanwhile, Asian universities are enrolling significantly more first-time bachelor’s students, and European universities are seeing solid growth at the master’s level. The UK also reports modest increases at both levels.
One Asian respondent summed it up: “Policies restricting international student admissions in the Big Four countries have created an opportunity for East Asian universities to increase their intake.”
Postgraduate enrolments show the sharpest global decline
Across all regions, postgraduate enrollments are more unstable than undergraduate figures. Fewer than half of the surveyed institutions saw year-over-year growth in their graduate programmes.
Europe is the exception.
- 75 percent of European universities reported stable or rising postgraduate numbers.
- Only 25 percent saw declines
Canada is at the opposite end of the spectrum. Only 28 percent of Canadian respondents reported stable or rising postgraduate numbers.
What is holding students back?
Top barriers vary by region, but visa policies sit near the top everywhere except Asia.
- UK respondents named affordability as their biggest challenge.
- Asian respondents pointed to a lack of affordable housing, followed by affordability.
- North American institutions ranked visa policy restrictions as their most significant obstacle.
A US respondent noted growing uncertainty around immigration pathways such as H-1B, CPT, and OPT, which is shaping international student decision-making long before policies are finalized.
Institutions look to new markets in 2026
Diversification is the leading priority for universities across most regions.
- 60 percent of Canadian universities and 51 percent of US institutions plan to pursue new markets
- Asian institutions are more focused on expanding enrolment targets outright, reflecting national strategies to increase international student numbers
Canada stands out for a different reason. At least half of Canadian universities expect to cut budgets (60 percent) or staffing (50 percent) in the coming year. No other region in the sample reports cuts at this scale.
One Canadian respondent explained the urgency: “We are seeing sharp declines from major source markets like India and China while interest grows in emerging regions such as Africa and Southeast Asia.”
Students are shifting their attention
Studyportals data from early 2025 already showed falling student search interest in the Big Four destinations (US, UK, Canada, and Australia) and rising interest elsewhere. The new survey confirms that these search trends are now translating into actual enrollments.
A growing call for collaboration and policy change
Leaders in the field say the situation requires both institutional agility and stronger advocacy.
Dr Fanta Aw, executive director and CEO of NAFSA, warned that shifts in US visa and immigration policy are reshaping campuses across the world. She stressed the need for coordinated pressure on policymakers to deliver more consistent and student-friendly regulations.
For the UK, Jamie Arrowsmith, Director of UK Universities International, highlighted affordability concerns and the need for long-term policy stability, especially with the Graduate Route seen as a strong draw.