US Data Glitch Misses 200,000 International Students, Raising Accuracy Concerns

A recent technical glitch in the United States federal reporting system has led to the underreporting of over 200,000 international students enrolled during the 2024–2025 academic year. The issue has sparked concern among universities, policymakers, and international student advocates.

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The problem originated from the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), which is managed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. While the internal records in SEVIS remained accurate, a glitch in the public reporting system since August 2024 caused monthly updates to show significantly lower international student numbers than the actual figures.

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This kind of data error can have serious consequences:

Policy Impact: Misleading numbers may affect U.S. immigration and education policies.

University Planning: Institutions depend on enrollment data for budgeting and staffing.

Global Perception: Prospective students abroad may think fewer international students are coming to the U.S., influencing their decisions.

The U.S. government is working to fix the public reporting issue. Meanwhile, experts and stakeholders are calling for:

Better transparency

Regular data audits

More robust verification systems

These steps are considered essential to protect the U.S.’s reputation as a top destination for international education and to ensure decisions affecting students and institutions are based on accurate data.