International student enrollment holds steady in Maine, despite nationwide decline

By Ari Snider, Maine Public

There were 3,356 international visa students enrolled at secondary and post-secondary institutions in Maine in April, virtually unchanged from the same month last year, according to a Department of Homeland Security database.

And the University of Maine System saw a 13% jump in international student numbers compared with the previous academic year, according to a spokesperson.

Over the same period, federal data show the number of foreign students fell by about 4% nationally, against the backdrop of President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown and efforts to revoke student visas, including at least one in Maine.

According to one analysis, international students contributed $87 million to the Maine economy during the last school year that began in 2024.

This story appears through a media partnership with Maine Public.