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Graphic Truth: The rise of foreign students, and their fees, in the United States

Luisa Vieira

Using several different avenues, the Trump administration is threatening to severely restrict the number of foreign students: It paused interviews for those applying for student visas, tried to block Harvard from accepting international candidates, and even said that it will revoke visas from certain Chinese students.

This Graphic Truth shows the exponential rise of international students in the United States in the postwar period, as well as the fees they are estimated to pay each year (international students do not benefit from in-state tuition at public schools, so often pay private-school-sized fees whichever university they attend; a minority of universities offer some financial aid to international students). This rise means foreign students now contribute tens of billions to the US economy, but the White House’s actions may send this number tumbling.

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