Many students who want to study in the United States are facing a big problem right now. Getting a visa has become very difficult. A major study done by the International Educational Exchange and ten partner groups found that almost every US college, about ninety six percent, said visa delays and visa denials are the main reason fewer new international students are joining. Travel restrictions were also a major issue and sixty eight percent of colleges mentioned this.
International student deferrals are becoming the most common solution. A deferral simply means that a student who has already been accepted can push their joining date to the next year without losing their spot. US colleges are offering this option because many students are not able to arrive on time due to visa problems, travel hurdles or other personal issues. This allows the student to keep their admission safe and come when everything is sorted.
The report says that about seventy two percent of US colleges are letting international students defer to spring 2026. More than half, about fifty six percent, are even allowing deferrals until fall 2026. Compared to last year, deferrals have gone up by thirty nine percent. Many colleges are also trying to be more flexible. Thirty seven percent are allowing students to begin classes online or to start their first semester a little later.
For the 2025 to 2026 academic year, these colleges saw their total number of international students fall by one percent. This count includes both students attending classes and those working under OPT.
At the same time, new international student enrollment took a sharp hit under Trump’s stricter immigration policies. Students beginning their studies in the US dropped by seventeen percent. More than half of the colleges in the survey said they saw a decline in new foreign students. A full yearly report will give a clearer picture of how many students came overall and how many were new.