ASU welcomes 14,600 international students this fall
First-year mechanical engineering systems major Bruno Flores Jr. (left) and his father, Bruno Flores Sr., arrive at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport on Aug. 11 after traveling from their home country of Peru. Photo by Chris Goulet/Arizona State University
After more than 12 hours journeying to the United States, Bruno Flores Jr. stepped off a plane in Phoenix and into his life as a Sun Devil — one he’s very excited about.
“I want to do everything, everything I can,” said the incoming first-year student from Lima, Peru, who will be studying mechanical engineering systems. “I want to take every opportunity I have — not throw away my shot.”
He found instant camaraderie with the Arizona State University welcome crew at Terminal 3 on Monday, joking with a fellow student that he was prepared for the desert climate thanks to playing a video game set in Las Vegas. But beyond gaming, he’s looking forward to exploring the hundreds of student organizations and intramural sports that ASU offers.
“Everything I can do, I want to do it,” he said with a smile.
ASU is excited for everything in store for Flores and his fellow global Sun Devils.
Flores is one of 14,600 international students studying at ASU this fall, down 3% from 15,104 last fall. Those totals reflect all international students — undergraduate and graduate — but do not include those who have graduated and are taking part in OPT, or optional practical training, a one- to three-year period of U.S.-based work after graduation.
The enrollment decrease is due primarily to challenges that international students have had in landing visa appointments in time for the fall 2025 semester, in a year marked with changing federal guidance. More students are expected to join the university throughout the academic year after completing the visa process, so the initial 3% decrease is not a final number.
“All qualified students have a place at ASU, regardless of where you call home,” ASU President Michael M. Crow said. “Our international students are incredibly valuable to the university. We want them here; we are glad they’re here. And despite the challenges in getting here this time around, we still have an unbelievably robust, unbelievably talented, unbelievably innovative group of international students learning from and contributing to the university this fall.”
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- ASU’s international students have annual impact of nearly $700M in the state
- Former U.S. National Science Foundation Director Sethuraman Panchanathan on how ASU is a natural fit for students from India
- ASU brings college courses to high school students worldwide
- ASU is home-sweet-home (away from home) for students from India
Find more international stories on ASU News.
In response to the visa challenge, ASU has provided flexibility throughout the admissions process — both in the way students attend classes and the timing for when they can join the ASU community in person.
“Our admissions, academic and student services teams have worked directly with admitted international students to find the best way forward for each of them,” said Matt López, deputy vice president of Academic Enterprise Enrollment. “There are a number of options available, from starting their ASU journey with ASU Online, or through study abroad or at a partner institution. Flexibility is key in all of this — both in how they start this fall and how we help them transition onto campus once their visas are in hand.”
That flexibility is one part of the support structure ASU has built. Before students even arrive at the university, there has been outreach in their home countries, as well as webinars and email guidance on topics including life in the U.S., visa steps to take, and general health and wellness.
When they arrive in the Valley, members of the International Students and Scholars Center staff are on hand 24 hours a day at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport with a welcome, information and even a ride to their living quarters. Once they are at ASU, they are introduced to welcome events, cultural programs, English immersion, career coaching and more.
The large size of the university’s international population — ASU has repeatedly been ranked the top public university choice of international students by the Institute of International Education — can offer a sense of familiarity and comfort to global Sun Devils, though the university encourages new arrivals to mix with everyone.
And when it comes time to graduate, there are networking and career coaching services, part of a robust slate for all students that has earned the university a top ranking for employability.
International students are valuable to the university and the state in myriad ways, not least of which are the contributions they make in the classroom and the lab. But they also have a bottom-line impact for Arizona, with an annual economic impact of $700 million in the state.
“International students are economic contributors, scientific collaborators and cultural ambassadors,” President Crow said. “They are essential to the very goals the nation is trying to achieve — a growing economy, technological leadership and strengthened democratic alliances around the world.”
ASU continues to enroll students throughout August, as well as for fall session B, which begins Oct. 15, and the spring 2025 semester. As such, the fall enrollment number featured in this story is a projection for the fall semester based on data available as of Aug. 11, 2025.
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