Quarterly Coalition Update ( May 2026)

Thanks to our 50+ members and their leadership, we are advancing our shared mission to strengthen the United States as the top destination for international students.

In spite of a continuously challenging policy environment, we have collectively achieved important milestones across each of the four interconnected pillars of our strategy:

1. Mobilizing and supporting champions of our issues

2. Educating and activating influential allies 

3. Promoting a positive narrative in the media

4. Leveraging the strengths of our members

Below are key highlights, with links to more detailed updates and resources.

Policy & Advocacy Wins
We helped advance bipartisan legislation to codify Optional Practical Training (OPT), supported growing momentum behind key provisions of the Dignity Act, and led a coalition letter urging prioritization of student visa processing.
→ Read the full policy update

Prioritizing Student Visa Processing

In March, the State Department finally released data that showed significant declines in student visa issuance.  

On April 8, 2026, our coalition sent a letter urging the U.S. State Department to prioritize international student and scholars visa processing during the upcoming peak season for visa applications, consistent with the approach taken by administrations of both parties in the past.

Protecting OPT
In March, we helped build support for the introduction of the Keep Innovators in America Act (H.R. 8013), federal bipartisan legislation to protect and codify the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program, which in turn, helps Americans to succeed. When the bill was introduced, the U.S. for Success Coalition and more than a dozen of our members announced their support, representing a broad section of higher education, business, and immigration organizations.

Following the introduction of the Keep Innovators in America Act (H.R. 8013), we are building support and coordinating coalition strategy to defend and strengthen OPT.

• Priority Bill Spotlight by US4S coalition member, FWD.us

• Press releases from the bill’s sponsors and from our Coalition

• Action Alert from US4S Executive Committee member, NAFSA, to urge cosponsorship of the bill

• OPT Strategy Meeting Slidedeck

Research & Data: Making the Case
New research and coalition member reports reinforce that international students drive economic growth, support U.S. workers, and strengthen global competitiveness.

Following on the successful off-the-record bipartisan briefings we held in November and December with both the House and Senate, we have been actively educating about how international students help Americans succeed by expanding educational opportunities for U.S. students, creating jobs, filling critical skills gaps, and contributing to our local economies each year. 

Part of that work has included building on the excellent research by our Hill briefing speakers, Stuart Anderson, Executive Director, National Foundation for American Policy, and Michael Clemens, Professor of Economics, George Mason University, and Senior Fellow, Peterson Institute for International Economics, among others. 

In February, we convened some of the world’s top researchers on immigration and the economy to discuss their latest research. View highlights of topline findings related to how international students contribute to U.S. competitiveness.  

Shaping the Narrative
We continue to engage policymakers with data-driven messaging and are preparing a targeted digital campaign to elevate the role of international students in American success.
→ View messaging insights and research highlights

Coalition Growth
We are pleased to welcome new members—International Student Resource Center (ISRC), JBI, Medforth Global Healthcare Education, and WERC—further strengthening our collective impact.
→ Learn more about our coalition

Upcoming Events & Ways to Engage
Join us at the NAFSA Annual Conference in Orlando:
• US4S Members Strategy Meeting – May 27, 9:30–10:30 AM
• US4S Session – May 27, 12:00–12:30 PM

Quick Links
• Research Highlights & Member Reports

• Keystone Education Group→Student Interest and Perceptions: A recent survey demonstrates that student interest in the United States remains down, but stable and shows that policies may be impacting overall perceptions of U.S. quality.

• Shorelight→ Beyond the Interview: A Decade of Student Visa Denials and What Comes Next: Updated April 2026; analyzes 2015–2025 visa denial trends and links them to enrollment decline and access barriers.

• ApplyBoard→ Top Trends in International Education for 2025 and Beyond: Navigating Global Student MobilityFlagship trends report on global student demand, policy impacts, and shifting destination preferences.

• Global Detroit→ Global Detroit released the first state data report to use new federal data tracking international students working after their graduation. The findings prove that international students are a massive source of high-skilled talent, helping Michigan employers to fill tens of thousands of critical positions in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

• IDP Education→The most common post-graduate employment pathway for international students in the U.S. is Optional Practical Training (OPT). In IDP’s survey, students were asked how changes to post-study work (PSW) policies such as OPT would affect their decision to study in a particular destination. If no post-study work visa were available, 66% would choose a different country to study or reconsider their options. 

What You Can Do Now 

• Urge Members of Congress to support a bill that would codify OPT. 

• Encourage the State Department to prioritize student visa processing. 

• Contact us if you’d like support engaging key allies or policymakers

Thank you again for your leadership and collaboration.