Us Education

Trump admin recalls education dept workers to tackle civil rights backlog

The Trump administration is bringing back dozens of Education Department staffers who were slated to be laid off, saying their help is needed to tackle a mounting backlog of discrimination complaints from students and families. The staffers had been on administrative leave while the department faced lawsuits challenging layoffs in the agency's Office for Civil Rights, which investigates possible discrimination in the nation's schools and colleges. But in a Friday letter, department officials ordered the workers back to duty starting Dec. 15 to help clear civil rights cases. A department spokesperson confirmed the move, saying the government still hoped to lay off the staffers to shrink the size of the department. "The Department will continue to appeal the persistent and unceasing litigation disputes concerning the Reductions in Force, but in the meantime, it will utilize all employees currently being compensated by American taxpayers," Julie Hartman said in a statement. In the let

Northwestern reaches $75 mn deal with Trump admin to restore funding

Northwestern, which has campuses in Evanston, Illinois, and Chicago, had been crippled financially by the federal freeze and was self-financing its research, paying millions of dollars each month

Why Trump is right in saying foreign students are good business for the US

Each year, they contribute billions of dollars to the country's economy and create jobs in various sectors

Study in Germany, Ireland or US, UK? What foreign students are now picking

A report shows students moving away from Canada, US, UK and Australia due to higher fees and proof-of-funds rules, with Germany, Ireland, France and Spain emerging as more affordable destinations

Trump's wind-down of Education Department leaves schools fearing disruption

The Trump administration says its plan to dismantle the Education Department offers a fix for the nation's lagging academics a solution that could free schools from the strictures of federal influence. Yet to some school and state officials, the plan appears to add more bureaucracy, with no clear benefit for students who struggle with math or reading. Instead of being housed in a single agency, much of the Education Department's work will now be spread across four other federal departments. For President Donald Trump, it's a step toward fully closing the department and giving states more power over schooling. Yet many states say it will complicate their role as intermediaries between local schools and the federal government. The plan increases bureaucracy fivefold, Washington state's education chief said, undoubtedly creating confusion and duplicity for educators and families. His counterpart in California said the plan is clearly less efficient and invites disruption. Maryland's .

Over 3.6 lakh Indians study in US: What draws them despite tough visa rules

India remained the largest source of international students in the US in 2024-25, with over 360,000 enrolments, even as early 2025 brought a dip in new students amid visa delays and shifting policies

Cornell eyes $1 billion bond sale amid Trump's higher education squeeze

The Ivy League university expects to price the bonds as soon as Nov 17 and plans to use the proceeds for general corporate purposes

Harvard admits too many students getting A's amid grade inflation

The report's author, Harvard undergraduate dean Amanda Claybaugh, urged faculty to curtail the practice of awarding top scores to the majority of students, saying it undermines academic culture

US sees 20% fall in foreign student arrivals in August, 45% drop from India

International student arrivals to the United States fell by 19% in August 2025, with the steepest decline from India, as visa delays and new travel bans under Trump disrupted university enrolment

Arrivals of international students to US dropped almost fifth in Aug: Data

The number of international student arrivals in the US dropped by nearly a fifth in August as American universities started the new academic year, according to federal data. The dip is the latest sign of a hit to colleges' international enrolment as the Trump administration ratchets up scrutiny of foreign students. International visitors arriving to the US on student visas declined 19 per cent in August compared with the same month in 2024, according to the preliminary data released by the National Travel and Tourism Office. The numbers declined also in June and July but August is the summer month that typically sees the most international student arrivals 313,138 this year. As the federal government has clamped down on student visas, industry groups have warned of international enrolment declines that threaten school budgets and American colleges' standing in the world. While the full extent of the change remains to be seen, the new data suggests a turnaround in international ..

US 5% cap on foreign students may hit Indian undergraduates the hardest

US cap on foreign students Visa: The White House proposal to limit foreign undergraduates to 15% per campus and 5% per country has raised worries among Indian students and education experts

Cap foreign students at 15%, max 5% per country: Trump to US universities

Trump administration memo orders US colleges to cap foreign undergraduates at 15%, linking compliance to federal grants and penalties

Yale to cut costs, offer retirement perks as endowment tax tops $300 mn

The New Haven school, the richest private US university after Harvard, faces an 8 per cent tax on annual investment gains from its endowment - up from 1.4 per cent

End work permits for foreign students: Republicans after H-1B visa revamp

Republicans want DHS to end work permits for foreign students, putting OPT at risk. Indians, the largest group, fear losing career pathways in the US

Trump admin threatens further sanctions on Harvard in escalating fight

The Trump administration escalated its fight with Harvard University on Friday, placing the Ivy League school under extra financial oversight and threatening sanctions if it does not provide additional data on its admissions practices. Education Secretary Linda McMahon said the department was placing Harvard under heightened cash monitoring, forcing the school to use its own money to pay out financial aid for students and then seek reimbursement from the government. She also threatened further enforcement action if the school does not turn over records to prove it no longer is considering race in admissions. Harvard did not respond to a request for comment. The moves are part of the administration's crackdown on Harvard as President Donald Trump seeks to eradicate what he describes as liberal bias at colleges around the country. Since taking office, Trump has used the Education Department in unprecedented ways, cutting federal research grants for schools that do not accede to his .

Judge strikes down Trump-era ban on DEI programmes in schools, colleges

A federal judge on Thursday struck down two Trump administration actions aimed at eliminating diversity, equity and inclusion programmes at the nation's schools and universities. In her ruling, US District Judge Stephanie Gallagher in Maryland found that the Education Department violated the law when it threatened to cut federal funding from educational institutions that continued with DEI initiatives. The guidance has been on hold since April when three federal judges blocked various portions of the Education Department's anti-DEI measures. The ruling Thursday followed a motion for summary judgment from the American Federation of Teachers and the American Sociological Association, which challenged the government's actions in a February lawsuit. The case centres on two Education Department memos ordering schools and universities to end all race-based decision-making or face penalties up to a total loss of federal funding. It's part of a campaign to end practices the Trump ...

Cornell nears $100 mn White House deal to restore frozen research funds

One of the issues still under discussion is whether the pact would call for a resolution monitor to supervise how Cornell is carrying out changes required by the US

US Education Dept to release remaining withheld grant money for schools

The Trump administration is releasing billions of dollars in grants to schools for adult literacy, English language instruction and other programmes, the Education Department said Friday. President Donald Trump's administration had withheld more than USD 6 billion in funding on July 1, as part of a review to ensure spending aligned with the White House's priorities. The funding freeze had been challenged by several lawsuits as educators, Congress members from both parties and others called for the administration to release money schools rely on for a wide range of programs. Congress had appropriated the money in a bill signed this year by Trump. Last week, the Education Department said it would release USD 1.3 billion of the money for after-school and summer programming. Without the money, school districts and non-profits such as the YMCA and Boys and Girls Club of America had said they would have to close or scale back educational offerings this fall. The release of that money cam

F-1 visa crisis: What Indians stranded in US visa-loan-tuition loop do

Indian students stuck in visa limbo as US F-1 appointments remain elusive

Foreign education costs for Indian families may double to $91 bn by 2030

Indian families might lose up to $500 million in bank fees, according to a report that flagged rising costs, tougher visa norms, and shift to affordable study destinations