Trump’s Visa Ban Negatively Impacting Finances of US Private Universities 

President Donald Trump’s recent imposition of visa restrictions has imperiled 16 financially precarious private colleges in the United States, as detailed in a Forbes publication.

These institutions depend heavily on international students, who constitute at least one-third of their total enrollment and contribute over half of their operating revenue through tuition.

Consequently, they are vulnerable to new limitations on F-1 and J-1 student visas.

These schools were already facing difficulties, each receiving a financial grade of C+ or lower in Forbes’ 2025 college financial health rankings, indicating poor long-term sustainability.

The intensified restrictions on student visas now jeopardize their most dependable source of income: international students who pay full tuition.

At Harrisburg University and Hult International Business School, foreign students comprise over 75% of the student body. Others, like St. Francis College in New York, have aggressively expanded international enrollment in recent years to counteract financial deficits. St. Francis, for instance, tripled its foreign student population between 2022 and 2023. Despite selling its campus for $160 million and implementing significant cost reductions, auditors still questioned the college’s long-term viability in a June 2024 audit.

According to Forbes, the following institutions meet three criteria: over 33% international student enrollment, over 50% of revenue derived from tuition and fees, and a financial health grade of C+ or lower:

– Harrisburg University of Science and Technology – Pennsylvania

– Hult International Business School – Massachusetts

– Maharishi International University – Iowa

– New England College – New Hampshire

– Manhattan School of Music – New York

– Campbellsville University – Kentucky

– Stevens Institute of Technology – New Jersey

– Illinois Institute of Technology – Illinois

– California College of the Arts – California

– The New School – New York

– University of New Haven – Connecticut

– University of Bridgeport – Connecticut

– Saint Peter’s University – New Jersey

– Lindsey Wilson College – Kentucky

– Missouri Valley College – Missouri

– St. Francis College – New York

Collectively, these institutions educate tens of thousands of students, with international enrollment frequently constituting the majority of graduate-level programs. Without this vital student demographic, the financial prospects of these schools remain uncertain.