In recent years, college sports have changed a lot. The introduction of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) policies means student-athletes can finally make money from their personal brands.
But here’s the catch: these new financial opportunities mostly help domestic athletes. International student-athletes are still left out, thanks to tough visa rules.
This post digs into the mess of challenges international student-athletes face in the NIL era. What can universities actually do to support all their athletes fairly?
The Economic Impact of International Students
Colleges love to call themselves global, right? They highlight the cultural and economic value international students bring in every brochure and website blurb.
The Department of Commerce says international students added $43.8 billion to the U.S. economy in the 2023-24 academic year. That’s more than 378,000 jobs supported, and education-related travel now ranks as the seventh-largest U.S. service export.
Even with all that impact, international student-athletes are mostly shut out of NIL deals. Visa rules are the main culprit.
Visa Restrictions and NIL Participation
Under NCAA policy, athletes can earn money from brand deals, sponsorships, appearances, and social media. But for the roughly 25,000 international athletes in NCAA sports, even thinking about these activities could put their visa status at risk.
Most hold F-1 student visas, which have strict employment rules. NIL deals just don’t fit those boxes. If they participate, they could end up facing visa violations or even deportation. That’s a pretty harsh consequence for posting an ad on Instagram.
The Structure of College Sports vs. Visa Rules
F-1 visa holders can work, but only in tightly defined ways—think on-campus jobs, internships tied to their studies, or short-term work after graduation. NIL deals? Not on that list.
Even so-called “passive” income like royalties gets tricky when the athlete is actively promoting something. Most schools haven’t made it any clearer, either. Some just tell international athletes to avoid NIL deals entirely, or only do them back home during breaks.
International Athletes: Core to College Success
International athletes are vital for many college teams. Take a look at these numbers:
- 64% of Division I men’s tennis players
- 61% of women’s tennis players
- 38% of men’s ice hockey players
- 34% of men’s soccer players
They drive team performance and boost visibility. In 2022, Division I programs added over 250 international men’s soccer players and more than 300 international women’s tennis players.
Legal Ambiguities and Institutional Inaction
The House v. NCAA settlement allows direct payments from schools to student-athletes. But there’s no word from federal agencies on whether international students can accept those payments without breaking visa rules.
So colleges are left in limbo, and international athletes get caught in a policy mess that no one seems in a hurry to fix.
Surveillance and Social Media Risks
In 2025, the government ramped up social media checks for international students. Now, visa applicants have to make their accounts public, report political activity, and might get pushed down the priority list if their school has lots of other international students.
Several hundred visas have already been revoked over perceived ideological threats. For athletes with big followings—especially those hoping for NIL deals—this is a real risk. One misinterpreted post could mean trouble, and speech that’s totally fine for U.S. citizens can cause problems for them.
State Laws and Additional Barriers
State-level NIL laws add even more hurdles. Some states ban athletes from promoting things like alcohol or gambling, even if those are legal locally.
These rules usually focus on promotional speech, which makes NIL opportunities even more complicated for international students. Layer on federal surveillance, and the legal risks start to pile up fast.
Growing Visa Costs and Bureaucratic Hurdles
By 2026, international students will have to pay a new $250 Visa Integrity Fee. Interview protocols are getting tougher, too, giving consular officers more leeway to deny visas over political attitudes or vibes.
In May 2025, the number of F-1 visas issued dropped to its lowest in three years. Meanwhile, college sports keeps getting more professional, with NIL payments, agents, and sponsors becoming the norm. But international athletes? They’re still left waiting for the law to catch up.
Steps Universities Can Take
Universities clearly benefit from recruiting international athletes. If they want the wins, the attention, and the money, they should step up for these students, too.
- Hire immigration counsel to create NIL-friendly protocols
- Audit internal policies to find and fix compliance gaps
- Offer NIL-abroad options so students can monetize from home
- Train coaches and compliance teams on where NIL and immigration collide
- Advocate for legislative change to modernize outdated visa rules
Equal Opportunity Requires Institutional Will
International student-athletes play a big role in the success of many college teams. They bring in revenue and face the same physical demands as their American teammates.
Honestly, they should get the same economic opportunities. NIL wasn’t meant to just help domestic students, was it?
And yet, here we are. Without real action, international athletes are left out.
It’s not an accident—this is exclusion, plain and simple. Schools that recruit international athletes but ignore these barriers are just letting it happen.
For a deeper dive into this issue, check out the full article on The Edu Ledger.
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