Which US Universities Received the Most Foreign Funding in 2025? Top 5 Revealed

US Universities Foreign Funding in 2025 has become a focal point of global academic transparency. According to the latest U.S. Department of Education disclosure, international entities contributed a staggering $5.2 billion to American campuses this past year. 

While these funds drive innovation and research, they also trigger intense federal oversight regarding national security and countries of concern. These numbers show students and people around the world which schools have the most soft power around the world. 

The 2025 rankings also show a change in financial partnerships, with campuses funded by Qatar and research contracts from China and Europe that are heavy on technology. This year, the focus isn't just on the Ivy League. Instead, it's on technical powerhouses that are leading the way in global cooperation.

List of Top 5 US Universities by Foreign Funding Receipts 2025

The table below summarizes the leading recipients of foreign investment within the U.S. higher education system for the 2025 reporting cycle. This data, released by the U.S. Department of Education in February 2026, reflects a new era of federal oversight under Section 117 of the Higher Education Act.

Source: U.S. Department of Education, Section 117 Foreign Gift and Contract Disclosures (Released February 11, 2026).

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1. Carnegie Mellon University (CMU)

Carnegie Mellon took the top spot this year, largely due to its significant operations in the Middle East. The Section 117 disclosures show that nearly $1 billion flowed into CMU, primarily to sustain its massive CMU-Q campus in Qatar. This partnership emphasizes computer science and business, making CMU a global leader in exported American education.

2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

MIT follows closely, proving that technical expertise is a high-value global commodity. The university receives substantial funding through research contracts with various nations, including the UK and Switzerland. However, MIT is still being watched closely when it works with Chinese tech companies on projects that require both innovation and compliance with federal rules.

3. Stanford University

Located in the heart of Silicon Valley, Stanford is a magnet for foreign corporate investment. Its 2025 funding profile highlights a mix of private gifts and lucrative research contracts. The university has been proactive in updating its reporting processes to meet the Department of Education's stricter transparency mandates.

4. Harvard University

Harvard is still a name that comes up a lot on this list, but its funding sources are often the most closely looked at. The Department of Education says that Harvard has historically reported some of the highest overall totals from countries of concern. In 2025, the university worked to fix past problems with disclosure so that it wouldn't have any legal problems with federal regulators.

5. University of Pennsylvania (Penn)

Penn rounds out the top five, though it has faced recent heat over unreported gifts. Federal investigators have focused on whether all international donations, specifically those tied to foreign think tanks, were disclosed accurately. Despite the controversy, Penn remains a top destination for global philanthropic capital.

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The rise in foreign funding in 2025 shows how global American education is today. These reports give us a rare look at the billion-dollar connections between US colleges and the rest of the world as the Department of Education tightens its reporting rules. These rankings will change as tensions between countries affect future academic partnerships.