How International Students Shaped America’s Elite Campuses & Why They’re Now At Risk

Last Updated:June 06, 2025, 13:05 IST

Between 2013 and 2023, Harvard’s international graduate population rose by nearly 2,000 students.

The ongoing standoff between Harvard University and US President Donald Trump has escalated, with Trump recently invoking a federal law to prohibit foreign students from entering the country to attend Harvard’s Cambridge, Massachusetts campus. Although a federal judge temporarily blocked the order late Thursday, the move—currently targeting only Harvard—has raised alarms across other institutions the Trump administration has labelled as liberal strongholds in need of overhaul.

Three decades ago, international students made up just 11% of Harvard’s student population. Today, that figure has climbed to 26%, as reported by PTI.

Like many elite U.S. universities, Harvard has long leveraged its global prestige to attract top students from around the world. However, the surge in international enrollment has now made these universities more susceptible to political interference, with Trump using immigration policy as a tool to reshape the landscape of American higher education.

This crackdown is sending ripples across other institutions under federal scrutiny, including Columbia University, where international students comprise 40% of the student body. As the administration tightens its review of student visa applications, Columbia faculty and alumni have voiced concern over Trump’s sweeping authority.

“Columbia’s exposure to this ‘stroke of pen’ risk is uniquely high,” warned the Stand Columbia Society in a recent newsletter.

While international students made up about 6% of the total college population in the US in 2023, they represented 27% of students at Ivy League schools, according to an Associated Press analysis. Columbia topped the list with 40%, followed by Harvard and Cornell at around 25%. Brown University had the lowest share at 20%.

Other top-tier private institutions have mirrored this trend. Northeastern University and New York University both saw their international student enrollment double between 2013 and 2023. Public universities, in contrast, experienced more modest growth, with international students comprising about 11% at the 50 most selective public institutions.

Rajika Bhandari, head of a higher education consulting firm, noted that as middle-class incomes have risen globally, more families can now afford rigorous test preparation and admissions support to compete for Ivy League spots.

“The Ivy League brand is extremely strong abroad, especially in countries like India and China, where families are acutely aware of top global institutions,” Bhandari told PTI.

Over the past 20 years, US universities have increasingly embraced international students, not just for diversity, but also as a vital revenue stream that helps subsidize domestic students and maintain enrollment levels in STEM disciplines.

According to the PTI report, International student numbers rose sharply starting in 2008, fueled largely by a spike in Chinese enrollment. William Brustein, who led international outreach at multiple universities, described it as a “gold rush” in higher education.

“Whether public or private, institutions raced to present themselves as global leaders,” said Brustein, who worked at Ohio State and West Virginia universities.

Financial incentives also played a significant role. Many foreign students are ineligible for aid and often pay higher tuition than their American peers. In addition, global rankings reward institutions that draw larger international student populations, further motivating recruitment efforts.

Though some elite universities like Harvard do offer financial aid to international students, many are already financially equipped to handle higher costs—allowing schools to preserve more aid for domestic applicants.

However, the expansion of international enrollment hasn’t been uniform. Public universities often face political pressure to limit foreign admissions and prioritize in-state students. Private institutions, free from such constraints, have actively courted international students, especially as domestic enrollment stagnates due to rising tuition and student loan concerns.

Supporters of international education emphasize its economic and intellectual value. Foreign students contribute billions to the US economy and often fill critical roles in tech and science sectors. Most pursue degrees in STEM fields.

At Ivy League schools, international growth has been more pronounced at the graduate level. At Harvard, foreign graduate students now make up more than half the enrollment in schools such as government and design, while five schools at Columbia report similar ratios.

Between 2013 and 2023, Harvard’s international undergraduate population rose by roughly 100 students, but its graduate enrollment surged by nearly 2,000. Harvard historian William Kirby attributes this to intensifying global competition for top graduate talent.

“If you don’t recruit the best international students—especially in science and engineering—your institution risks falling behind,” he said.

Brustein added that the Ivy League’s enduring global reputation has given it a unique edge. During outreach trips to China and India, he encountered families who could name each Ivy League school’s position in international rankings.

“To them, these schools were the ultimate goal. Getting in meant a ticket to success,” he recalled.

Recently, Trump proposed capping Harvard’s international enrollment at 15%.

“We have students in America who can’t get into Harvard because foreign students are taking those spots,” he stated at a press briefing.

Harvard criticized the move, calling it “yet another illegal retaliatory step” that infringes on the university’s First Amendment rights.

In legal filings opposing previous attempts by the administration to restrict foreign student visas, Harvard described its international student body as the product of a “painstaking, decades-long effort” to attract the brightest minds globally. Losing access to student visas, it argued, would harm both its mission and global standing.

“In today’s interconnected world,” Harvard said, “a university that cannot welcome students from across the globe operates at a clear competitive disadvantage.”

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