New enrollments of international students at American colleges and universities is falling, according to the 2017 Open Doors Report.
According to the study by the Institute of International Education, and funded by a State Department grant, the number of new students from foreign countries fell 3 percent in the 2016-17 school year and 7 percent in the 2017-18 school year.
Despite the fall in new enrollments, the overall number of international students studying in the United States rose. That is because of the large number of foreign students already studying in the United States.
"We are maintaining the U.S. longstanding position as the world's top host nation for international students," State Department official Alyson Grunder said. "We see that as a testament to the unmatched quality of American higher education in the eyes of international students and their families."
Most students came from China and India, according to the report.
Rajika Bhandari, head of Research, Policy and Practice at the Institute of International Education, cited "concerns around the travel bans" as one factor in the drop in enrollment, The Hill reported.
According to the study, international students added $39.4 billion to the U.S. economy in 2016.
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