The flow of international athletes to American colleges is slowing after years of steady growth.
Keystone Sports, which places foreign athletes at NCAA Division I and NAIA programs, assisted approximately 900 athletes for the 2026-27 academic year, down from roughly 1,100 at its peak, according to Philipp Liedgens, the company's director of service delivery.
The Oslo-based firm charges between $3,900 and $10,000 to help international students secure college spots. Services include SAT tutoring, video recording of competitions, highlight-reel production, college connections, and visa paperwork guidance.
Visa delays are creating immediate friction. Gonzalo Corrales, who places international athletes, said the United States Embassy in Madrid was not scheduling student visa appointments for his Spanish clients as of early July.
The Trump administration's expanded vetting for international students created processing bottlenecks. While some initial disruptions have eased, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity has increased.
In July, the Department of Homeland Security introduced a new rule capping F-1 student visa holders to a fixed four-year period, requiring them to apply for an extension to stay longer.
NCAA rule changes are also reducing demand. The NCAA adopted new eligibility rules in June stemming from antitrust litigation. Liedgens said the business has been hit across the board, forcing cost controls and adjusted outreach.
The slowdown reflects broader declining international interest in U.S. colleges. Common App, representing 1,100 higher education institutions, reported a 10 percent drop in foreign student applications for the 2025-26 academic year.
