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An Eagle Ambassador guides a group of prospective students and parents on a campus tour, August 4, 2014. (Ahna Hubnik / UNT)
University of North Texas
University of North Texas President Harrison Keller will discuss the possibility of substantial budget cuts at the school’s upcoming quarterly Board of Regents meeting, he wrote in a letter to all faculty and staff Tuesday.
UNT is projecting a $45 million budget deficit after it lost significant state appropriations last legislative session— a total that reached a reduction of about $32 million for fiscal year 2026 and 2027. Keller also pointed to a sharp decline in international master’s students because of federal policy changes as a major reason for the deficit. The decline in international enrollment was larger than projected and amplified the school’s financial challenge, Keller wrote.
“UNT is committed to serve every qualified student who commits to learn with us,” Keller wrote in the letter. “International master’s students do not displace qualified Texas residents at UNT. Out-of-state and international students contribute their perspectives and talent to our community, and the additional tuition and fee revenue they bring is important to our university budget.”
In January, the U.S. State Department said it had revoked an estimated 8,000 student visas. Policies during Donald Trump’s presidency during the 2025-26 academic year also resulted in a 17% drop in new international enrollment at colleges in the United States, according to the Center for American Progress.
Keller wrote that the University Budget Council is working to find solutions to address the school’s current budget issue. He warned of “hard choices” that could be made to improve alignment across values, mission, strategy and priorities of the university.
“These challenges present an opportunity for us to examine our current practices and make changes that will ultimately enhance our educational mission while strengthening our financial foundation,” Keller wrote.
Keller did not go into detail about what “hard changes” could be made, but he is expected to share more about potential budget cuts at UNT’s quarterly Board of Regents meeting on Thursday.
To alleviate the school’s budget concerns, Keller said that recruiting more students and restabilizing international enrollment will be the “primary drivers” to help the budget and advance the university.
UNT had financially relied heavily on international enrollment in recent years, which had surged over the last decade. During the fall 2014 semester, the university had 2,587 enrolled international students. That numbers reached as high as 8,580 during the fall 2023 semester. UNT reported a loss of over 1,300 international students in master’s programs in 2025, according to university data.
“I commit to you that we will navigate our budget challenges responsibly, deliberately, and most importantly, with great care of consideration for the implications of our decisions for our university community,” Keller wrote. “We remain steadfast in our commitment to long term success of all our students.”
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Samuel O’Neal
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