Administration Eliminated International Education Funding
The government used pocket rescissions to remove $70 million in congressionally approved international education grants.
Updated on Oct. 1, 2026 in Language Learning
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The Trump administration eliminated $70.3 million in federal international education and foreign language funding via pocket rescission. This action was part of a broader move that rescinded $800 million in total federal spending.
Why it matters
The White House stated that these international education programs were eliminated because they support wasteful and divisive projects. The U.S. Government Accountability Office has previously labeled the use of pocket rescissions as illegal.
The administration rescinded $70.3 million in federal international education and foreign language grants. NYU, which previously received $500,000 annually for these studies, faced a 3% decrease in its overall federal allocation from 2024.
The players
Trump administration
The current President of the United States and his executive branch team responsible for federal policy and budgetary decisions.
New York University
A private research university in New York City that relies on federal grants for its international and foreign language studies.
U.S. Government Accountability Office
A nonpartisan federal agency that monitors government spending and investigates the legality of executive actions.
Department of Education
The federal agency tasked with managing the national education system and distributing various academic grant programs.
The details
In addition to education cuts, the administration slashed $567 million for refugee services and $25 million for migrant student programs. The government also dissolved the specific agency previously tasked with distributing international education and language grants.
Timeline
International education funding ceased in September 2025.
Congress restored $70.3 million for international education in February 2026.
The Department of Education announced a new $70 million grant program in June 2026.
The deadline for fiscal year-end rescission requests occurred on September 30, 2026.
Culture Shift
This move represents a departure from the historical practice of executing congressionally approved spending toward international studies. The administration's actions signal a broader societal shift regarding the value and necessity of global engagement programs.
Students and researchers at institutions like NYU may see significant changes to available grants and research opportunities. Individuals relying on refugee services or migrant student programs will face reduced support due to the $592 million in total cuts to these areas.
The takeaway
These cuts force educational institutions to rethink their reliance on federal grants for critical language and cultural programs. Readers should monitor future Department of Education announcements to see if the new grant program will effectively replace lost funding.
Further reading
For more on how shifts in federal policy affect academic programs, visit the Language Learning section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Washington Square News.
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