America thrives off international students at American universities. In 2023-2024, there were over one million international students enrolled. Yet, the Trump administration aims to limit the number of international students with its recent proposal: “Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education.”
On Oct. 1, 2025, President Trump and the U.S. Secretary of Education requested that nine academic institutions join the new compact. MIT was among one of the nine institutions asked to join; however, they declined. After MIT declined, the government asked all institutions to join.
While no university has officially joined the compact, some may intend to. The New College of Florida intends to sign the compact.
The compact aims to limit the number of international undergraduate students to 15% of the student body. In addition, the number of students from one country is restricted to 5%.
The US economy will bear the burden of this change. In 2024, the NAFSA announced that during the 2023-2024 school year, international students added $43.8 billion to the US economy. Without the presence of international students in America, the economy would suffer.
If institutions sign the compact, international students will lose the ability to experience American culture. Last year, PV students had the chance to host Danish students. The Danish students were able to learn about life in America. “I think in Denmark it’s really popular to do exchange years among teens because we love experiencing new cultures and people. We especially like to experience high school because we see and hear a lot about it on social media, and it’s definitely different from the Danish schools,” said former Danish exchange student Isel Savolainen.
Furthermore, American universities will also become less diverse. Losing different perspectives and knowledge will take away from the college experience everyone looks forward to and will inhibit students from learning about different countries and cultures. “When I hosted a Danish student I learned so much about Danish culture and how it differs from America. The experience was truly invaluable,” said junior Kalie Tessen.
In addition, American institutions are some of the best in the world for campus life and hands-on learning. “Unlike America, in Denmark there are very few universities,” Savolainen said. Since universities in other countries, like Denmark, are typically in big cities, there isn’t a central campus community like some American schools. The courses offered and required in American schools also differ from schools in other countries. For example, American students are required to enroll in more general education courses.
International students have always held a large presence in the US, with more than 1.1 million. The reduction of students would implement noticeable changes to college campuses. Even though Trump’s compact has yet to be signed by any universities, there has been some expressed interest. Hopefully, the compact will remain unsigned and Americans can learn to appreciate the diversity that international students bring to the US.
