Enrollment in biomedical degree programs rose last fall despite funding turmoil, new data show

The first year of President Trump’s second term rattled academic science, raising fears would-be biomedical researchers would avoid the field. New data on student enrollment, however, paint a more complicated picture.

Council President Chevelle Newsome said she’ll be especially interested in the clearinghouse’s data on fall 2026, as that should better reflect the impact of a full year of federal policies on student enrollment. The clearinghouse typically releases preliminary findings around November and final numbers the following January.

“2026 is going to be the barometer where we’re going to actually see the start of the impact of all of these various cuts and caps and enrollment trends, and also the decline of the international students,” she said. “[We’ll see] from those numbers for enrollment whether or not there’s really some major cause for concern.”