While the percent of student visas issued nationally dropped substantially last summer, Pitt\u2019s new international student enrollment numbers fell by a few percentage points.<\/p>\n
Student visas issued from June to August 2025 dropped by 35.6%<\/a> from the previous summer, according to new U.S. Department of State data<\/a>. The most drastic decline was in F-1 visas<\/a>, \u2014 the most common visa<\/a> international students obtain to pursue academic studies in the U.S. The drop follows the Trump administration\u2019s freeze of all student visa<\/a> interviews in early 2025.<\/p>\n Pitt saw a 4% decline<\/a> in new international students from fall 2024 to fall 2025, dropping from 709 to 679 international students. The total international student enrollment at Pitt this fall<\/a> was 2,711.<\/p>\n University spokesperson Jared Stonesifer said Pitt has a \u201csmaller share\u201d of international students compared to its peers in the Association of American Universities<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cRelative to the AAU public institutions, Pitt falls in the bottom third in terms of share of international students,\u201d Stonesifer said.<\/p>\n Stonesifer explained Pitt\u2019s efforts in international recruitment.<\/p>\n \u201cPitt has dedicated international recruitment staff across both graduate and undergraduate enrollment teams who travel globally to build relationships with students, families and secondary schools in key markets,\u201d Stonesifer said. \u201cThese efforts work to raise Pitt\u2019s profile abroad and guide prospective students at all levels through the application process.\u201d<\/p>\n Sara Jones, an associate director in the Office of International Services<\/a>, said the national decline in issued visas is likely due to the visa-obtaining process \u201ctaking longer and longer.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSome people aren\u2019t getting their visas as reliably as they used to<\/a> in certain countries in certain parts of the world. There is an increase in denials in certain parts of the world. There\u2019s an increase in what is called administrative processing,<\/a> which is when there\u2019s a delay between the appointment and the approval or denial,\u201d Jones said.<\/p>\n Jones said some countries are facing longer delays than others<\/a>, depending on the quantity of\u00a0 students attempting to get their visas in a respective country.<\/p>\n