Protect International Students
Understand the Costs of Federal Policy Changes for International Students Studying in the U.S.
International Students are Critical to America's Future
The United States is home to roughly 1.2 million international students comprising roughly 6% of the scholars at American colleges and universities. International students study in the U.S. because the quality of our universities, as well as for opportunities to participate in the American economy.
Some international students are drawn to the U.S. by the American Dream, seeking the freedom and economic opportunities that have long drawn immigrants to America and made the U.S. the most prosperous nation in the world. Others are eager to study at the top research universities of the world and gather private sector work experience to apply the knowledge and skills they gather here back in their home countries.
No matter the reason, international students strengthen U.S. colleges and universities. Their presence enhances the academic experience by enabling domestic students to study alongside, literally, the world’s best and brightest. They contribute to the research and innovation at our universities. They provide important tuition dollars and inject nearly $50 billion annually into the U.S. economy. And they create a talent pipeline essential to America’s prosperity and economic future.
This website is devoted to ensuring that America continues to lead the world in attracting and welcoming international students and is designed to provide information on recent federal immigration policies that threaten this important pipeline of global talent.
The Economics of International Students
There are approximately 1.2 million international students in the U.S. who comprise roughly 6% of all university students in the country. International students in the U.S. spend $43.8 billion annually in the U.S., making it the 7th largest service export product in the U.S. economy. These expenditures are estimated to support over 350,000 American jobs, including tens of thousands of retail business, landlords, tourism, hospitality and other business sectors in the university towns and communities across the nation. International students pay the highest tuition rates and are an important source of revenue to U.S. colleges and universities who use these revenues to limit tuition increases on domestic students or the closure of academic programs and, possibly, even the closure of entire colleges or universities themselves. No business can thrive with the elimination of their highest-paying customers.
International students are essential to America’s supply of high-skilled STEM talent that is powering current and future U.S. economic growth and competitiveness. International students, scholars, and researchers play a critical role in the U.S. STEM workforce and the innovation that drives rising productivity in the U.S. economy. According to economist Michael Clemens and Amy Nice and Jeremy Neufeld of the Institute for Progress a 10% decline in international students would produce annual economic losses in the U.S. economy of $72-$145 billion a decade on. A loss of this magnitude is equal to the disappearance of the entire economy of the state of Delaware, New Hampshire, or the entire Research Triangle metropolitan area.
International students predominate STEM degree programs, especially at U.S. graduate degree programs. According to the National Academy of Sciences, international students account for 80% of full-time graduate students in computer and information sciences, 75% in electrical and computer engineering, 62% in mathematics and statistics and a majority in industrial engineering, civil engineering and mechanical engineering.
More than half of all first-time H-1B (specialty occupation visa) holders at U.S. companies come directly from international students working on the Optional Practical Training (OPT) portion of their student visa after graduation. 30% of all U.S. STEM workers are foreign-born, and 63% of this population first arrived as international students. Among STEM PhDs working in the United States, 49% are foreign-born, and 71% of them first arrived as international students, typically working first on OPT. Given that employment of STEM PhDs by U.S. private-sector companies has doubled over the last decade, continued access to international students is essential to American leadership in critical and emerging fields.
International students and faculty are critical to the innovation that occurs with America’s research universities. It is estimated that 75% of the patents awarded to the nation’s top ten patent-producing research universities had an international student, faculty or researcher among the team filing the patent.
International students are a critical source of talent as founders of American high-tech startup companies. According to research by that National Foundation of American Policy, nearly one-quarter (184 of 775, or 24%) of U.S. billion-dollar startup companies have a founder who first came to America as an international student. “U.S. billion-dollar startup companies with founders who entered as international students have created an average of 1,123 jobs per company. The total value of U.S. billion-dollar companies with international student founders is $3.5 trillion; over $4 trillion if one includes unicorns that have gone public since 2016.”
Nowhere is the importance of international students more pronounced than in America’s quest to be the world leader in artificial intelligence. Among the 50 companies on Forbes's 2019 "AI 50" list of the most promising US artificial-intelligence startups, 66% had at least one immigrant founder, and an estimated 72% of those founders first came to the United States on a student visa.
There are two new federal policies adopted by the Trump administration that impact international students’ ability to study and work in the United States. This website includes separate tabs to analyze the new Duration of Status rule slated to go into effect September 15, 2026, as well as the new H-1B weighted selection process. Additional tabs will be added if additional policies are presented.
How to Get Involved
Spread the Word
Helo ring awareness to this issue and to raise the profile of the importance that international education and international students represent to America, our local economies and higher education is to write an opinion piece in local papers, business journals, newsletters, blogs, LinkedIn posts, and other social media. If you would like assistance in crafting an opinion piece or otherwise spreading the word, or if you have an opinion piece you want to share, please contact us at info@globaldetroitmi.org.
If you would like to learn more about international students entering your state’s workforce, please visit www.optobservatory.org. Our E Pluribus program would love to assist you in spreading the word about the importance of international students and international education to your state’s economy.
Join the E Pluribus International Student Retention Peer Learning Cohort
Global Detroit’s E Pluribus program supports an International Student Retention National Peer Learning Cohort of nearly three dozen local international student retention programs. These programs are immigrant economic inclusion initiatives, economic development organizations, chambers of commerce, state and municipal offices of New Americans, as well as state and local programs who are focused on connecting international student talent to unmet private sector talent needs. The cohort meets online monthly, conducts webinar, and shares research and best practices, as well as tools to advance local international student retention initiatives. To find out more information and/or join the group email us at info@globaldetroitmi.org.
Make a Donation
Global Detroit is a tax-exempt charitable organization. Our E Pluribus national work currently operates without any dedicated funding. If you want to support this program please contact us or consider a donation at https://globaldetroitmi.org/donate/.
Volunteer
Global Detroit is always looking for volunteers who can help us with our programs. Whether it’s crafting social media posts, doing research, analyzing data, conducting outreach to partner organizations, designing websites and reports or just helping out, we welcome volunteers. Email us at info@globaldetroitmi.org to find out more.
Host a Webinar
Most Americans, business and economic development leaders and policymakers are unaware of the enormous economic contributions of international education and the talent proposition that graduating international students pose to help fill critical talent gaps. Hosting a webinar to provide data on those contributions, as well as to explain the new H-1B rule, in addition to the Duration of Status rule, can help educate these partners. Global Detroit’s E Pluribus program would love to work with you to help host a webinar. Please contact us if you need assistance.
Get in Touch
Global Detroit and the E Pluribus program would love to hear from you. If you have questions, ideas, requests or just want to talk about these issues, drop us a line at info@globaldetroitmi.org.
Join the U.S. for Success Coalition and/or Other Advocacy Groups
There are other national policies that would negatively impact international education and international students that are being considered right now and working in coalition is one way you can stay informed and help further the cause of supporting international education and international students. The U.S. for Success Coalition is one multi-sector effort that aims to foster international student success in the United States through a coordinated national effort working in partnership with the U.S. government, higher education institutions, the business sector, and other key partners to foster supportive federal policies and practices. You can join the U.S. for Success Coalition at https://www.usforsuccess.org/join-us.