Officials look further than the Upper Midwest to bridge the gap left by delayed international visas
Michigan Technological University is responding to declining graduate enrollment by expanding recruitment, increasing online graduate programs, and encouraging more students to continue into master’s programs as international enrollment becomes more difficult.
Will Cantrell, Associate Provost and Dean of the Graduate School, said the decline has been driven in part by difficulties international students face in getting visas and entering the United States. Until recently, international students made up about 60 percent of the graduate population at Tech, with domestic students making up the other 40 percent.
Cantrell pointed to Zimbabwe as one big example of the change. Michigan Tech had 68 first-time master’s students from Zimbabwe last fall. This fall, Cantrell said the university expects almost no new students from the country because of difficulties obtaining visas.
“Enrollment affects the university budget,” Cantrell said. This decline has financial implications, as many international graduate students pay full tuition. Cantrell estimated that 68 engineering students taking nine credits at $1,500 per credit would represent about $900,000 in tuition for just a single semester. Despite the decline, Cantrell claims Michigan Tech is not facing financial challenges. Instead, university administrators are monitoring enrollment and looking for ways to attract students from new and different areas.
Michigan Tech reported 1,402 graduate students during the 2025-26 academic year, including 826 master’s students and 523 doctoral students. University planning documents show graduate enrollment reached 1,421 students in 2023 before the decline to 1,400 in recent years.
One strategy has been expanding accelerated master’s programs for current Michigan Tech undergraduates. Depending on the program, students can apply up to nine credits toward a master’s degree, potentially reducing the number of credits they need to pay for separately. Michigan Tech has already seen positive effects on graduate enrollment because of this. “We have near all-time highs in accelerated master’s students on-campus,” Cantrell said.
The university has also expanded some graduate programs through online education and developing partnerships with other colleges and universities. Cantrell said these efforts allow Michigan Tech to reach students who may not otherwise be willing to move to Houghton for graduate school.
The university is also looking beyond the Upper Midwest as demographic changes reduce the number of college-age students in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. Cantrell said recruiting in states such as Florida and Texas could help Michigan Tech reach a larger pool of prospective students.
The enrollment issue also affects graduate funding. Cantrell said many research assistantships rely on federal research grants, while student organizations such as the Graduate Student Government receive funding through student activity fees, meaning fewer students can result in less money for student activities.
Cantrell said there is no single solution to the enrollment challenge. Instead, Michigan Tech will need to continue trying different approaches to attract and retain graduate students. “We’re strong. We’re not on the verge of collapse,” Cantrell said. “We’re not panicking.”
