[gradFUTURES] Innovative Approaches for Supporting International Graduate Students

International scientists and scholars are critical to the United States’ research, innovation, and economy. They expand the frontiers of knowledge, strengthen the critical workforce pipeline —especially in STEM—and generate immeasurable impact across local and national economies.

Yet today’s international graduate students and postdocs navigate a complex landscape of immigration policy, funding uncertainty, and systemic constraints. At this pivotal moment, it is our collective responsibility not only to support them— but to understand, celebrate, and advocate for their contributions with clarity and evidence.

Over the past year, leading nonprofit and philanthropic organizations—including NAFSA, Renaissance Philanthropy’s Talent Mobility Fund, and the Institute for Progress—have launched innovative, data-driven initiatives to better understand the U.S. immigration system and elevate the profound impact international scholars have on research and development, workforce competitiveness, and economic growth.