Canadian Varsity Faces $11m Revenue Loss Over Drop In Foreign Student Enrollment

The University of Calgary (UofC) in Canada has experienced a financial challenge due to a notable decrease in international student enrollment.

This reduction is projected to result in an approximate loss of $11 million in tuition revenue for the university this year.

According to CBC News, the institution revealed that international student enrolment fell by nearly 9% from 6,998 students last fall to 6,394 this year.

LEADERSHIP understands that international students generally pay higher tuition fees, often two to three times more than domestic students, and the reduction in numbers is expected to lead to a significant loss in revenue.

“It’s going to impact not only the quality of our scholarship but the future of Alberta and the future that students have in this province,” said the University’s Students’ Union president, Ermia Rezaei-Afsah.

Rezaei-Afsah noted that less money in the system has resulted in reduced research and innovation at Canadian universities.
“There’s just less money in the system resulting in less innovation, less research coming out of our institutions across Canada,” he explained.

The drop in international student numbers follows the announcement by the Canadian government in September that it will limit the number of study permits issued in 2025 and 2026.

The federal target was reduced from 485,000 permits this year to 437,000 for the next two years.

Immigration Minister Marc Miller stated that the reduction could lead to 300,000 fewer study permits over the next three years, which universities across Canada, including U of C, believe will have a lasting impact on enrollment and funding.

“The federal approach does create challenges,” said the university in a statement. “The current impact on enrollment is connected to the swift, sweeping, and ongoing changes to federal measures and the impacts of geopolitics.”

Universities Canada president, Gabriel Miller, also expressed concern, highlighting that Canada’s ability to attract talented international students, particularly in fields like artificial intelligence and healthcare, could suffer.
“What I hear, when I hear that we’re losing researchers is we’re losing our economic competitiveness,” Miller said.