The Department of Education revealed that U.S. colleges and universities took in more than $5.2 billion in foreign gifts and contracts throughout 2025. The dollar amount accounts for more than 8,300 transactions. Qatar provided the bulk of the foreign dollars, with $1.1 billion, followed by the United Kingdom (over $633 million), China (over $528 million), Switzerland (over $451 million), Japan (over $374 million), Germany (over $292 million), and Saudi Arabia (over $285 million).
Leading universities receiving the funds include Carnegie Mellon University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, both receiving nearly $1 billion, Stanford University, with over $775 million, and Harvard University, which received more than $324 million.
The public may see the data for themselves in a new portal launched by the Department in an effort to increase transparency.
“Thanks to the Trump Administration’s new accountability portal, the American people have unprecedented visibility into the foreign dollars flowing into our colleges and universities—including funding from countries and entities that are involved in activities that threaten America’s national security. This marks a new era of transparency for the American people and streamlined compliance for colleges and universities, making it easier than ever for institutions to meet their legal obligations,” Education Secretary Linda McMahon said in a statement. “Under President Trump’s leadership, we remain firmly committed to ensuring that universities uphold their legal and ethical obligations to disclose the true origins of their foreign relationships. This transparency is essential not only to preserving the integrity of academic research but also to ensure the security and resilience of our nation.”
Last year, the University of Michigan (UM) was caught accepting, and failing to disclose, sources of foreign funding. UM has long been linked to Chinese entities. In January 2025, the university ended what OGC called a “two-decade-long partnership” with a leading Chinese university following congressional concerns on the matter.
