The University of Colorado, on par with national trends, recorded a dip in freshmen international student enrollment within the past year, but the Boulder campus remains first in the state for attracting students across the globe.

From fall 2016 to fall 2017, new enrollment for freshman international students at CU fell by 33 percent, from 484 students to 326.

The number of new international freshmen at CU had been steadily increasing over the past five years before the drop-off. From 2013 to 2015, the numbers rose from 273 students to 428.

“There are a wide range of factors that influence a student’s decision on where to enroll, and every student’s choice is going to be personal to them,” said Colleen Newman, CU director of admissions. “Any way you look at it, we are gratified that international students continue to choose CU Boulder.”

A 2017 report from nonprofit Open Doors released this week detailed information on the international educational exchange in the United States and shared that while the overall number of international students in the country has gone up, the amount of newly-enrolled international students decreased by 3 percent from the previous year.

“This is the first time that these numbers have declined in the twelve years since Open Doors has reported new enrollments,” read a news release on the report.

Diana Salazar, director of CU’s International Student and Scholar Services, said she can’t speak to why new international student enrollment among freshmen is down, but she does know that during “changing times,” her center is there to provide students with information and support.

“Any change can cause some additional anxiety and stress,” Salazar said. “We just work hard to provide those resources and make sure they know what’s available.”

The ISSS and CU work together to send out news alerts with relevant information when policies affecting international students change.

When President Donald Trump and the federal administration pushed out a 90-day travel ban earlier this year prohibiting visitors from largely Muslim countries Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen, the university and ISSS became a disseminator of information and support systems. They explained the changes, gathered news sources and touted campus resources.

“Regardless of how many CU Boulder affiliates the travel ban will affect, the administration’s new immigration and travel policies are creating a climate of uncertainty on college campuses across the country,” read a March 6 update from CU on the president’s revised travel restrictions.

To combat anxiety, ISSS connects international students with services such as on-campus counseling, academic help and advising, multi-cultural resources and social activities.

“We connect the dots,” Salazar said.

She noted that not all international student numbers were in decline. The number of new international graduate students at CU climbed about 9 percent within the past year, from 366 to 401.

From 2016 to 2017, CU ranked 74th in the nation for attracting international students, with 3,424 international students enrolled in classes or optional practical training during that time period. The previous report put CU in 89th place.

The Boulder campus remained first among all Colorado higher education institutions for drawing international students in 2016, followed by Colorado State University and the University of Denver.

Salazar attributes CU’s appeal to its academic rigor.

“I think they come here because Boulder, as a community, is very attractive,” she said. “It’s a medium-sized city with a safe environment and a beautiful location. But if you’re sending your kid across the world, you’re sending them because you believe in the academic strengths of the program.”

Elizabeth Hernandez: 303-473-1106, hernandeze@dailycamera.com