S. 2111: American Students First Act of 2025

This bill, known as the American Students First Act of 2025, proposes changes to the enrollment of foreign students at universities in the United States under the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP). Here are the key components of the bill:

Cap on Foreign Student Enrollment

The bill stipulates that each university must limit the number of nonimmigrant students (specifically those on F and M visas) to 10% of the total student population for any academic year. This means if a university has 1,000 students, only 100 of them could be nonimmigrant students under this program.

Waiver Provision

There is a provision that allows for waivers to this cap. The President or the Secretary of Homeland Security has the authority to grant a waiver for:

• National security reasons
• If such a waiver is deemed to be in the interests of the United States

Should a waiver be granted, the university may then enroll nonimmigrant students up to 15% of their total student population for that academic year.

Purpose of the Bill

The intention behind this legislation is to manage and potentially reduce the number of foreign students in U.S. universities, while also allowing flexibility for special cases where it may be deemed necessary to enroll more foreign students.

Implications

The bill could have various implications for universities, foreign students, and the higher education landscape in the U.S. Depending on the response to the bill, it could affect the demographics of student populations at colleges and universities and potentially influence international relations, educational diversity, and the academic environment.

Relevant Companies

None found.