A new study by the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) finds that the surge in Chinese students studying in the United States has expanded U.S. higher education rather than limiting access for Americans.
For every 100 Chinese students enrolled in American universities, about one new STEM master’s program was created, according to the report.
China’s claims that its massive university expansion has reshaped US higher education, sending millions of well-trained graduates abroad. But beneath the surface, Washington knows how Chinese students act as puppets for CCP’s influence & tech ambitions. @YatesComms @SolomonYue pic.twitter.com/1dNZmsLdvi
— Khalid Hashemi (@KhalidHash3) November 6, 2025
The researchers also found a “crowding-in effect,” where each additional Chinese master’s student was linked to an increase of roughly 0.26 American students, contradicting claims by Vice President J.D. Vance that Chinese applicants were taking spots from “middle-class Americans.”
The influx of Chinese students also boosted local economies in U.S. college towns through spending and job creation.
However, experts warn that tighter visa policies under the Trump administration, especially targeting Chinese nationals in sensitive research areas, could curb these benefits and cost universities billions in lost tuition revenue.
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TIPP Staff
TIPP Staff
