Most Welcome International Students, Split on Visa Limits

Most U.S. adults welcome international students, according to a survey by Pew Research Center conducted in September 2025. A total of 79 percent of respondents said they thought it was good for U.S. colleges and universities to accept international students. This sentiment was felt across both sides of the aisle, although Democratic Party-leaning voters were more likely to agree with the statement than their Republican-leaning counterparts.

When asked about whether the U.S. should be able to cancel the visas of international students who have criticized foreign policy, a wider rift appears. Around 16 percent of Democratic Party-leaning U.S. adults said they support such visa revocations, whereas 70 percent of Republican Party-leaning voters said the same. When looking at the total surveyed population, this averaged to 42 percent of respondents backing the move, as 56 percent said the government should not be allowed to revoke visas for this reason.

According to Pew researchers, the share of U.S. adults saying it is good for U.S. institutions to accept international students has remained largely unchanged since 2021. Older adults were more likely to support restrictions on visas than younger adults.