Colleges most vulnerable to international enrollment drops tend to be small, private institutions with a specialized focus, or affiliated with a Christian church.
Under the terms of the deal to resolve several federal probes into allegations that it had violated anti-discrimination laws, Columbia did not admit to wrongdoing.
The Trump administration is targeting colleges and universities through a multi-pronged strategy that includes cutting federal research funding, restricting international student visas, threatening accreditation and nonprofit status and pushing for steep endowment taxes.
U.S. universities have long relied on international students, but President Trump’s crackdown—starting with a blocked order targeting Harvard—threatens that model. Elite schools like Columbia and NYU could face similar scrutiny as the administration tightens visa policies.
Trump's spending bill, headed to the Senate, would exempt religious colleges from a big tax increase on endowments. But some religious institutions may not qualify, raising First Amendment concerns.
After the Trump administration blocked Harvard from enrolling international students, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology offered them unconditional admission, signaling rising global competition for top students and financial risks for Harvard.
The move is the latest escalation in Trump’s campaign against Harvard and other elite schools, based on claims that they have fostered antisemitism and other forms of discrimination on their campuses.
