Education Brief
New visa rules loom as Virginia loses international students
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International students at Virginia colleges face new federal restrictions starting Sept. 15, as the state grapples with a sharp drop in international enrollment.
Why it matters: International students bring tuition revenue and research talent to Virginia universities — and lawmakers are studying what their declining numbers could mean for colleges, the workforce and the state's economy.
Driving the news: A new Department of Homeland Security rule will end the "duration of status" policy that allowed international students to stay in the U.S. as long as they maintained their student status.
- Soon, students entering the U.S. will instead generally be admitted for a fixed period tied to their academic program, capped at four years.
- Those who need more time, such as Ph.D candidates or medical students, will have to apply for an extension to finish their degrees.
By the numbers: Virginia's public four-year colleges lost over 1,100 graduate or professional international students last fall (a 13% decline) while gaining 287 undergraduates, per the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia.
- Nationally, new international enrollment fell 17% in fall 2025, per the Association of International Educators.
What's next: The state-ordered SCHEV report on the international student decline, and whether federal visa and immigration policies contributed, is due Dec. 1.