The Trump administration has introduced fresh restrictions on international students, setting a nationwide cap on their enrollment in American universities.

According to a new 10-point directive issued by the White House, the number of international undergraduate students at any US university must not exceed 15 percent of total enrollments. Additionally, students from a single foreign country will be limited to a maximum of 5 percent of total admissions.

Universities that currently exceed this limit have been instructed to comply with the new policy in upcoming intakes. The directive links compliance with access to federal funding, the ability to maintain tuition rates, ensuring diversity, and upholding what it calls “ideological alignment.” Institutions adhering to these conditions will reportedly qualify for “large and sustained federal grants.”

Emphasis on “American and Western values”

The guideline also requires international students to demonstrate support for “American and Western values.” Before enrollment, universities must screen applicants to determine whether they hold “hostile attitudes” towards the United States or its allies.

Moreover, institutions have been directed to share all disciplinary and behavioural records of international students with the Department of Homeland Security and the State Department.

Legal and institutional concerns

Letters outlining the new directive have been sent to several top universities, including Vanderbilt, Dartmouth, MIT, Brown, the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Southern California, the University of Texas, the University of Arizona, and the University of Virginia.

The Department of Justice will oversee implementation. Institutions that fail to comply may lose access to federal benefits and grants.

Human rights advocates raise alarm

Rights groups have voiced strong concerns, saying the policy could undermine free speech, privacy, and academic freedom within American campuses.

The move has sparked fresh debate, especially amid ongoing tensions surrounding the expulsion of pro-Palestinian students from several universities, raising fears that the directive may further politicise university admissions and campus culture.