How foreign students fuel US universities and turn them into global campuses

India Today

4 hours ago

Decades ago, international students made up just a small slice of enrollment at elite American universities. But over the years, their growing presence has redefined campuses, reshaped university priorities, and sparked political tension—especially under the Trump administration.At Harvard University, foreign students once constituted only 11 percent of the student population. Today, they represent 26 percent. Across the Ivy League, international students now account for 27 percent of the student body, significantly higher than the national average of 6 percent. Columbia University leads the pack with foreign students making up 40 percent of its total enrollment.advertisementThis growing international presence reflects a deliberate strategy by US universities to enhance their global appeal, diversify campuses, and tap into new revenue streams. According to education consultant Rajika Bhandari, rising middle classes in countries like India and China have fuelled the demand for elite Western education. Families in these nations are increasingly aware of global university rankings and see Ivy League schools as life-changing opportunities.
Universities, in turn, have welcomed this trend. International students, particularly at the graduate level, often pay higher tuition rates and receive little to no financial aid. This influx has helped US institutions offset budget constraints and maintain robust STEM programmes. Schools like Harvard and Columbia now count foreign students as a critical part of their academic and financial models.But this internationalisation has not been without pushback. Former President Donald Trump targeted foreign student entry as part of broader efforts to reshape higher education. In a controversial move, he used federal immigration powers to block foreign students from entering Harvard, triggering a legal challenge from the university, which denounced the action as retaliatory and unconstitutional.advertisementThe dispute highlights a growing vulnerability: as colleges rely more heavily on international students, federal immigration policies have become powerful tools of influence. Trump even floated the idea of capping foreign student enrolment at schools like Harvard to 15percent.While the Ivy League continues to attract global talent—especially at the graduate level—public universities often face political pressure to limit international admissions in favour of in-state students. Despite this, the economic and academic contributions of foreign students are undeniable. Many go on to bolster the US workforce in critical areas like tech and engineering, injecting billions into the national economy along the way.As historian William Kirby puts it, top graduate programs must recruit globally to remain competitive. Without access to the world's best minds, universities risk losing their edge.Ultimately, what began as a slow international outreach has evolved into a defining feature of modern American higher education. But as political tides shift, universities must now navigate the fine balance between global ambition and domestic policy constraints.(With PTI inputs)Tune InMust Watch