The United States remains a major destination for top foreign students, particularly in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields, though challenges are mounting. Despite visa restrictions and reductions in new international student arrivals, overall foreign PhD enrollment in the US has remained steady recently, buoyed by many students staying for temporary work after graduation. International students make up a majority of STEM PhDs in computing, engineering, and mathematics, playing an essential role in fueling innovation, enterprise, and scientific advancement in the US.
However, there are growing risks to America’s foreign talent pipeline. New student arrivals have declined sharply, especially graduate students, due mainly to visa processing delays and an increasingly competitive global education market. The US struggles to produce enough domestic STEM graduates to fill this gap, as many American students fall short on STEM readiness compared to international peers. In contrast, countries like China are rapidly increasing their domestic STEM PhD output, potentially surpassing the US in the near future.
Foreign-born researchers contribute disproportionately to US innovation—around 23% of patents originate from immigrants, and nearly half of current Fortune 500 companies were founded or co-founded by immigrants or their children. Many leading tech startups and breakthrough scientific achievements also depend heavily on talent that arrived as international students. Keeping education-to-work pathways welcoming, stable, and predictable is critical to maintaining this edge.
The future of US scientific leadership depends on preserving and strengthening its ability to attract and retain global talent. Without this, the nation risks losing out on critical advances, entrepreneurial ventures, and global competitiveness.
