U.S. colleges drawing fewer foreign students

But no crisis as nation’s political climate stormy

BOSTON — International enrollments at U.S. colleges have fared better than expected this year, but many schools still fear the country’s political climate, according to a national survey.

The Institute of International Education reported Monday that the number of new students coming from abroad fell by an average of 7 percent at nearly 500 colleges and universities surveyed this fall, but that the results from school to school are more mixed than many had feared.

But many schools still fear the country’s political climate could drive students away.

While 45 percent of schools saw declines in international enrollment, nearly a third said their numbers have increased since last year, the survey found. The remaining 24 percent said they saw no change.

“It’s definitely a wake-up call, but by no means is it a crisis, and it does not come anywhere close to the precipitous decline and plummeting of numbers that the entire sector had been predicting,” said Rajika Bhandari, head of research, policy and practice for the nonprofit group based in New York.

The White House’s proposed travel bans and separate reports of violence against immigrants had fueled fears of a sharp decline in students coming from abroad. The anxiety spurred many campuses to boost their recruiting efforts, while some launched marketing campaigns meant to make foreign students feel welcome.

Despite the improved outlook, the survey found that half of the 500 colleges still worry the nation’s atmosphere could discourage potential students, and 20 percent reported that the climate has already led some students to leave.

“We don’t know what the trends are going to look like for next year, but for sure there are concerns,” Bhandari said.