Zach Schermele

In the 2023 to 2024 school year alone, more than 1.1 million foreign students contributed more than $43 billion to the U.S. economy. That's according to the Association of International Educators. That same association also estimates that they supported more than 378,000 jobs.

Yeah, I don't think it's entirely understood by most folks that university budgets and research and teaching programs really rely heavily on the uninterrupted flow of international student enrollments. Unlike domestic students, international students are more likely to pay full tuition prices.

Yeah, I don't think it's entirely understood by most folks that university budgets and research and teaching programs really rely heavily on the uninterrupted flow of international student enrollments. Unlike domestic students, international students are more likely to pay full tuition prices.

Also, when you think about science, technology, engineering and math graduate programs, STEM focused programs for fields like computer science, for instance, the number of foreign students typically outweighs the number of domestic students. And that dynamic in many cases makes it possible for U.S. born students to enroll in programs that they wouldn't otherwise be able to at certain schools.

Also, when you think about science, technology, engineering and math graduate programs, STEM focused programs for fields like computer science, for instance, the number of foreign students typically outweighs the number of domestic students. And that dynamic in many cases makes it possible for U.S. born students to enroll in programs that they wouldn't otherwise be able to at certain schools.

The short answer is yes. So for scientists hoping to study in the U.S., the European Union has a clear message, which is come here instead. And colleges are worried that if the Trump administration continues on with some of its policies surrounding immigration and cuts to federal research funding, that students are going to take that leap.

The short answer is yes. So for scientists hoping to study in the U.S., the European Union has a clear message, which is come here instead. And colleges are worried that if the Trump administration continues on with some of its policies surrounding immigration and cuts to federal research funding, that students are going to take that leap.

The first week of May, for instance, some of the European Union's most high profile leaders gathered at the Sorbonne, which is the most prominent university in Paris, to launch a new initiative called Choose Europe for Science. It's about a 500 million euro investment meant to attract foreign researchers and college students.

The first week of May, for instance, some of the European Union's most high profile leaders gathered at the Sorbonne, which is the most prominent university in Paris, to launch a new initiative called Choose Europe for Science. It's about a 500 million euro investment meant to attract foreign researchers and college students.

It wasn't lost on the president of the European Commission that that program really stands in stark contrast to some of the cuts that the Trump administration is moving forward with. She called that a, quote, gigantic miscalculation.

It wasn't lost on the president of the European Commission that that program really stands in stark contrast to some of the cuts that the Trump administration is moving forward with. She called that a, quote, gigantic miscalculation.