Wisconsin’s international student enrollment falls 3.9% as U.S. momentum cools

International student enrollment in Wisconsin fell 3.9% year over year, according to a new analysis of federal student visa data, underscoring a broader cooling across the United States after a record high in 2025. Researchers say the shift points to a potential change in the global education market, with the downturn concentrated in specific states.

The study by Manifest Law analyzed U.S. Department of Homeland Security F-1 and M-1 visa records and ranked states by year-over-year changes in international enrollment. It found that declines are not evenly distributed, with some states seeing sharper losses than others.

Despite the slowdown, international students in the U.S.—including those participating in Optional Practical Training (OPT) and Practical Training (PT)—remain heavily concentrated in postsecondary education. As of March 2026, master’s programs enrolled 512,841 international students, bachelor’s programs 351,908, doctoral programs 188,184, and associate programs 65,802.

Together, these categories account for more than 90% of all international students in the country. Enrollment outside postsecondary programs is comparatively limited. Language training programs account for 49,240 students, while secondary schools enroll 32,972.

Other categories include 4,340 in flight training, 2,506 in primary school, and 1,321 in vocational programs. Students also come from a relatively concentrated set of countries. As of March 2026, 350,237 international students were citizens of India and 229,463 were from China—together nearly half of all international students in the U.S.

The analysis notes that access to top-tier universities in both countries is highly constrained, with far more qualified applicants than available seats. Researchers point to policy shifts in recent years—such as mandatory in-person interviews and thorough vetting of social media profiles—as adding uncertainty for prospective students.

At the same time, interest in international education is expanding in Europe and certain Asian countries, heightening competition for U.S. colleges and universities. International students have long bolstered tuition revenue, research capacity, workforce development, and academic exchange in the U.S.

With declines concentrated in some states and the distribution of students skewed toward degree programs and a handful of countries, the data offers colleges a clearer view of where pressures are building as the market evolves.