International student enrollment at Santa Barbara City College hit a seven-year low when classes started in late August—the result of new federal rules and the relatively high cost of living along the South Coast.
In 2019, international students made up 14% of the overall full-time student population, according to the school. Yet full-time international student enrollment is down to 5% of the overall full-time campus population this year.
Over the last five years, international student revenue has declined by $1.4 million each year, according to Chris Renbarger, vice president of business services.
The result of less international students at City College means the college makes less money from their tuition, which is almost 10 times the amount a California resident pays, said Jing Liu, director of international programs.
This fall, the college has enrolled students from more than 40 countries—mostly from Sweden, China and Germany, Liu added.
“We have seen significant declines in our enrollment, and that is due to changes in the visa regulations and newly implemented restrictions,” Assistant Superintendent Carola Smith said.
A big factor in the decline are Trump Administration rule changes.
In July, the Department of Homeland Security established a maximum four-year stay for full-time student visa holders, whereas before students could extend their studies longer.
The relatively high cost of living in Santa Barbara is another contributing factor, along with the decline in enrollment after the COVID-19 pandemic, school officials say.
For decades, the college has partnered with organizations around the world to recruit students from abroad.
One of those organizations based in Sweden is called Blueberry.
Through Blueberry, Swedish student Astrid Johnfors obtained an F-1 visa and this fall began classes at the college.
Johnfors said she plans to spend the 2026-27 academic year in Santa Barbara before going back home to get a degree in Sweden.
City College was the most affordable option she found when applying to schools in the United States, she said, adding Blueberry helped make it all possible.
“Otherwise,” she said, “I wouldn’t know how to get here.”
Steven Engström, managing director at Blueberry, said the organization helps students obtain grants and loans from the Swedish government to pay for tuition and living expenses in the United States. A Swedish student, he said, can receive roughly $1,700 per month for living expenses, and about $7,000 for tuition per semester.
But even those financial incentives increasingly are not enough.
Fewer students are using Blueberry to go to City College, Engström said.
In 2019, the company helped 263 Swedish students attend the college. In 2025, 70 enrolled.
Many international students who come to the college come for a so-called gap year, or one-year study abroad experience, Smith said.
Despite enrollment dropping dramatically since, Liu said the college continues to offer advice and orientations to international students.
“It’s a hard time in international education,” Jing said. “We’re trying to provide the best service we can during this time.”
