The University of Pennsylvania has instructed department heads to significantly cut graduate admissions, with one department reportedly planning to rescind offers for 10 of the 17 students initially accepted. Faculty members told local media that the decision stems from an anticipated $240 million reduction in National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding, forcing the university to scale back operations, starting with its graduate programs. Medical schools, which heavily rely on NIH grants, are expected to cut admissions by nearly 60%.
The U.S. scientific community is in turmoil following sweeping federal budget cuts to basic science research under President Donald Trump. Researchers, including senior Ph.D. holders, are among the hardest hit and are now considering leaving the country. Meanwhile, governments, universities, and research institutions in China and Europe are ramping up efforts to attract displaced scientists, actively competing to secure talent departing the U.S.
Since the start of the Trump administration, the federal government has outlined plans to slash spending by 2,870 trillion won ($2 trillion) over the next decade, resulting in substantial budget reductions for federally funded research institutions. The National Science Foundation (NSF), a major source of research grants, has reportedly been informed by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) that up to half of its workforce could face layoffs this spring. Observers believe Trump will seek a 30% budget cut for the NSF in Congress.
The NIH has also been directed to scale back research funding, with a particular focus on eliminating support for projects related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), as well as collaborations with Chinese institutions or those channeling funds to Chinese universities. As a result, many researchers in these fields are losing their positions, and U.S. graduate programs in biomedical and medical sciences, which rely on NIH grants, are reducing enrollment.
China is aggressively recruiting U.S. researchers affected by the funding cuts. At the annual Two Sessions meetings on Mar. 5—the National People’s Congress and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference—the Chinese government pledged to expand efforts to attract overseas talent. Minister of Education Huai Jinpeng announced that China will prioritize strengthening its foundational science workforce, particularly in mathematics and computer science, to meet strategic national objectives. This initiative includes actively recruiting foreign researchers to bolster the quality of higher education. Some of China’s top universities have revised their admissions policies to allow applicants to enter Ph.D. programs without prior degrees from Chinese institutions. The South China Morning Post reported that Tsinghua University, Fudan University, and Shanghai Jiao Tong University have introduced these changes, viewing them as an opportunity to capitalize on the shrinking prospects for U.S. graduate students.
Other countries are also moving swiftly. Tekna, Norway’s largest association for technology and science professionals, has urged the government to implement immediate measures to facilitate the relocation of U.S. students and researchers to Norway. Meanwhile, the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI), a leading think tank, released a report on Mar. 7 calling for a fast-track visa program to attract unemployed American scientists. The report emphasized that if the Australian government acts quickly, it could seize a “once-in-a-century” opportunity to secure top-tier scientific talent.
The South Korean government is also formulating a response. Last month, the Ministry of Science and ICT convened a strategy meeting to discuss attracting global talent, where officials raised concerns about the country’s restrictive research environment and limited funding support. The government plans to collect input from state-run research institutions later this month and draft a concrete proposal by May. Additionally, revisions to visa policies for foreign scientists are under review. A ministry official noted that discussions are underway with the Ministry of Justice to differentiate between visas for industry professionals and those for scientific researchers, acknowledging that the newly introduced “Top-Tier visa” for skilled workers may not fully meet the needs of scientists.
