Chinese enrollment has declined over five years, while India’s interest grows despite visa barriers.
International student enrollment at Western Washington University declined slightly this academic year, reflecting both long-term trends and recent challenges including visa restrictions and the elimination of English pathway programs in 2024. Because international students make up only about 1% of Western’s total enrollment — roughly 150-175 students annually — year-to-year fluctuations tend to be relatively small.
Data from the Institute of International Education’s Open Doors report, which tracks international students at U.S. colleges, shows that the new international student enrollment nationwide fell 17% from Fall 2024 to Fall 2025.
Richard Bruce, director of International Student and Scholar Services at Western, said that, anecdotally, many colleges and universities in Washington are experiencing similar challenges with international enrollment, though the scale or impact varies by institution.
“Our recent decrease is mainly due to budget cuts at Western that eliminated Intensive English programs and resulted in a decrease in non-degree and ESL pathway students,” Bruce said.
Fewer from China, more from India
Enrollment patterns at Western also show shifts in the countries students are from. Over the past five years, according to Bruce, the number of students from China has gradually dropped, while interest from India has grown. National data with recent Institutional of International Education figures shows India as the top source of international students in the United States, with a roughly 10% increase in the 2024-25 academic year. Chinese student numbers declined about 4% during the same period.
“Although Western admits a fair number of students from India, the issue is they can’t get a student visa from U.S. consulates there,” Bruce said. “It seems visa issuance in India has basically shut down in the last couple of years.”
Data from the U.S. Department of State shows fluctuations in student visa issuance to Indian applicants in recent years. In 2025, the State Department paused student visa interviews for several weeks while preparing expanded vetting measures, including additional screening of applicants’ social media activity, which contributed to delays and a sharp decline in approvals during peak visa months.
Community colleges reflect similar but distinct patterns. At Whatcom Community College, Director of International Programs Kelly Kester said the composition of international students has shifted in recent years. Enrollment from China has decreased over time, and the largest share of current international students comes from Vietnam.
“There are many factors involved in why certain countries are better markets than others, including economics, demographics, visa issuance and higher education opportunities in students’ home countries,” Kester said.
A request for comment from Skagit Valley College was declined.
Policy impacts
Universities across the United States have also faced policy uncertainty affecting international students. Last year, international student programs became a point of conflict between the federal government and several universities like Harvard, after the administration barred the school’s ability to enroll international students. In Washington state alone, more than 30 international students had their visa record deleted from federal student databases, prompting legal challenges before some records were restored while lawsuits moved through the courts.
According to the Open Doors report, the United States hosted more than 1.1 million international students in the 2023-2024 academic year, though enrollment patterns have fluctuated significantly in recent years.
Kester added that while India leads national enrollment, few Indian students attend community colleges like Whatcom because most of them are pursuing graduate-level programs, and visa issuance is challenging.
For community colleges in Northwest Washington, the question is less global demand and more about who is ultimately able to arrive on campus, especially as federal visa processing and registration changes continue to affect international students. Organizations such as NAFSA track ongoing immigration and visa policy updates that shape international students enrollment worldwide.
“There is a lot going on and we are doing our best to keep up on any actions that are or will affect international students in the U.S. and at Western,” Bruce said.
— By Mabaindu Mbawa
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