Arrivals of international students in the United States fall 28 per cent, Nature analysis finds

13 November 2026

An analysis by the journal Nature of arrival figures published by the National Travel and Tourism Office of the United States finds that arrivals of international students in August were 28 per cent lower than two years earlier, the lowest level since 2020. Student-visa arrivals fell from 387,000 in August 2024 to 277,000 in August 2026. The decline was driven mainly by students from India, down by about 50,000, and from China, down by about 23,000. August is the month when the bulk of students arrive for the start of the academic year, which makes it the clearest single month to compare. Researchers quoted in the analysis warn about the effect on laboratories and graduate programmes that depend on international enrolment. The National Travel and Tourism Office is the United States government office that compiles travel and tourism statistics.