International student enrollment declines at UMKC as the overall student body grows 

  Admission numbers at UMKC have risen for the third year in a row, but there has been an evident decrease in the number of international students attending the university, due to challenges under the current administration.

  “Like other universities across the country, we’ve experienced a decline in our international student enrollment,” said Stacy Downs, director of strategic communications at UMKC. 

  The university accepted nearly 4,900 first-year students this fall, marking a significant increase from recent years when admissions hovered around 3,600 to 4,500.

  Downs claims UMKC has been an “appealing choice” to students, due to factors like accelerated academic programs, student support resources and the university’s R1 designation acquired earlier this year.

  “It is truly an exciting time to be a Roo, and students choosing a college can see that and want to be a part of it, and we’re so happy they’re here,” said Downs.

  UMKC has had a large international student population in the past, with 14.6% of students coming from outside the U.S.

  “Our aim is to bring together students from all backgrounds and experiences to learn, grow and thrive together, and international students are included in that mission,” said Downs.

  International student Mianfeng Lu said that in his first couple of years at the university, he knew of around 50 to 60 students from China. This year, that number has dropped to about half the amount.

  Lu said that the increasing difficulty to get a visa to study in the U.S. has contributed to this drop. Fear has also deterred some students who were considering completing their education in the U.S.

  “I know they have some Chinese students, because they hear the news like it’s very dangerous here… they think ‘maybe next year,’ or maybe later come here,” said Lu, a senior film and media arts major.

  Even after international students complete their education in the United States, finding work comes with its own set of difficulties. With the new H-1B visa fee, Lu said that he felt companies “will maybe not hire the international students.”

  Despite the complications, Lu said that he feels supported as an international student at the university.

  “UMKC is really friendly with international students, so I feel more safe out here actually,” Lu said.

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