Chelsie Vokes Discusses How Crackdown on Student Visas Will Impact Higher Education Industry in Central Massachusetts

April 23, 2025

Recent actions by the Trump Administration, which has revoked student visas for certain international students, have had a significant impact on colleges and universities in Worcester. With approximately 3,000 international students enrolled at its four-year institutions, these students play a crucial role in the region’s economy. While they represent a relatively small segment of the student population, international students often pay higher tuition rates and have helped offset declines in enrollment from U.S. high school graduates. Chelsie Vokes spoke with the Worcester Business Journal about how the crackdown on student visas will impact the higher education industry.

“In some respects, the international community is subsidizing the scholarships and the reduction in tuition that domestic students are experiencing,” said Chelsie. She noted that a decline in the number of international students won’t result in a higher number of U.S. students going to these schools. “It doesn’t really work like that. A lot of schools are already fighting over the relatively small pool [of U.S. students], and it’s only decreasing because we’re seeing that drop off in enrollment that many schools have been anticipating for a number of years.”

Continue reading “International loss: The crackdown on student visas will have long-term ramifications for the Central Mass. higher ed industry” on the Worcester Business Journal website (subscription required).