WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of foreign students enrolled at American colleges has only declined 1 percent this school year, according to a new report compared with last year, according to a survey from the Institute of International Education.

That figure, however, is propped up by large numbers of students who stayed in the United States for temporary work after graduating. The number of new students entering the United States for the first time fell by 17 percent, the sharpest decrease since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Some universities are seeing backslides that have punched big holes in tuition revenue, but, overall, the falloff is less severe than some industry groups had forecast. Researchers credit colleges for helping students navigate visa issues through the summer.

“I think colleges and universities did absolutely everything in their power to advocate to get these students to the United States,” said Mirka Martel, head of research, evaluation and learning for the institute.

At DePaul University, a Catholic university in Chicago, the number of international graduate students fell by almost 62 percent this fall, a driving factor in recent spending cuts. The university president blamed student visa troubles and declining interest to study in the U.S., calling it a “massive” disruption.

Overall, nearly 60 percent of colleges reported a decrease in new foreign students this fall, the survey found, while 30 percent saw increases and others held even. More than 800 schools responded to the survey, which offers an early look at trends before full data is released next year.

The Trump administration has sought to reduce America’s reliance on foreign students. The White House is pushing colleges to cap enrollment of foreign students and enroll more from the U.S. In June, the State Department began screening visa applications more closely after temporarily halting all interviews.

Visa processing has continued to lag in some countries, including India, the largest source of America’s foreign students. Education firms have reported that future college students are now showing decreased interest in the U.S. and more in Europe and Asia. While international enrollment remained relatively steady, there are concerns about its sustainability.

“There are warning signs for future years, and I’m really concerned about what this portends for fall ’26 and ’27,” said Clay Harmon, the executive director of AIRC: The Association of International Enrollment Management, which represents colleges and recruitment agencies.

Foreign students make up about 6 percent of America’s college students but they play an outsize role in campus budgets. Most pay higher tuition rates and don’t receive financial aid. Their numbers are far higher at elite campuses, often making up a quarter or more of the student body.

International students at the graduate level saw the biggest backslide this fall, with a 12 percent drop. That was mostly offset by rising numbers of students participating in Optional Practical Training, which allows students to stay in the U.S. for temporary work after graduating. Undergraduate numbers rose slightly.

Graduate students make up the biggest share of foreign students in the U.S.

Numbers had already started leveling off last year after a post-pandemic surge, but the recent turmoil appears to have accelerated the downturn. In the survey, colleges that saw decreases cite factors including visa issues and other travel restrictions.

Many smaller and regional colleges have reported downswings, especially among master’s and doctoral students.

In a recent campus address, the president of the University at Albany said a decrease in foreign graduate students was having a “disproportionate impact” on the school’s budget.

At Kent State University, falling international numbers required an additional $4 million in cuts to balance the budget, the president wrote in an October update.