President Donald Trump’s administration has unveiled a 10-point memo that seeks to curb foreign enrolment at US universities while tying diversity and admissions policies to preferential access to federal funding.
According to a White House official, universities will be required to adopt sweeping measures in exchange for federal benefits. These include capping international undergraduate enrolment at 15 percent, banning the use of race or sex in admissions and hiring, freezing tuition for five years, requiring applicants to take standardized tests such as the SAT, and addressing grade inflation.
The Trump administration has already threatened to cut federal funding over issues ranging from pro-Palestinian protests and transgender policies to climate initiatives and diversity programs. Rights groups argue that these restrictions pose risks to free speech and academic independence by aligning universities more closely with Trump’s political agenda.
The memo stressed the need for viewpoint diversity among students and faculty, urging structural reforms or even the closure of units that “punish or marginalize conservative ideas.” It also demanded that foreign students demonstrate support for “American and Western values,” warning universities to reject applicants deemed hostile to the United States or its allies.
Privacy Concerns Over Sharing Foreign Student Records
Further, the guidance directs universities to share records on foreign students, including disciplinary actions, with the Department of Homeland Security and the State Department. Critics warn that this could intensify privacy and due process concerns, especially after recent deportation attempts targeting pro-Palestinian students.
The proposal specifies that “no more than 15 percent of a university’s undergraduate population shall be participants in the Student Visa Exchange Programme, and no more than 5 percent shall be from any single country.” Institutions already above the limit will have to adjust future intakes to comply.
Letters detailing the plan were sent Wednesday to several universities, including Vanderbilt, Dartmouth, the University of Pennsylvania, USC, MIT, the University of Texas, the University of Arizona, Brown, and the University of Virginia. According to the White House official, those that agree to the conditions will gain “significant federal grants and benefits.”
The Trump administration has already opened investigations into multiple colleges, particularly over pro-Palestinian demonstrations. Columbia University agreed to pay more than $220 million in a settlement, while Brown University committed $50 million to local workforce development after reaching a deal with the government.