A recent investigation has revealed that American universities have received billions of dollars in foreign funding, much of it undocumented, primarily from authoritarian regimes, raising concerns over transparency, academic freedom, and rising antisemitism on campuses.
According to a report by the Network Contagion Research Institute (NCRI) published last October, at least $22 billion of foreign donations to U.S. universities remain undocumented.
Qatar was identified as the largest donor, contributing $2.7 billion between 2014 and 2019, followed by China ($1.2 billion) and Saudi Arabia ($1.06 billion). Additional contributors include the United Arab Emirates, Bermuda, and Canada.
Leading beneficiaries of foreign funding include Carnegie Mellon University ($1.47 billion), Cornell University ($1.29 billion), Harvard University ($894 million), MIT ($859 million), and Texas A&M University ($521 million).
Agreements between some universities and foreign donors, such as the Qatar Foundation, have raised concerns about restrictions on academic freedom and political expression, as highlighted in the report titled “Networks of Hate: Qatari Paymasters, Soft Power and the Manipulation of Democracy” published by the Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy as part of the Follow the Money Project.
NCRI researchers also linked foreign funding to the erosion of democratic norms and an increase in antisemitic sentiment. A survey cited in the report found that antisemitic rhetoric—such as denying Israel’s right to exist, accusing Jews of controlling U.S. policy, or boycotting Jewish organizations—was more prevalent on campuses that received undocumented foreign donations.
The findings come amid increased scrutiny of higher education following the October 7 Hamas attacks in Israel and subsequent concerns over campus antisemitism. The report also highlights Qatar’s longstanding financial support of Hamas and its partnerships with American universities like Georgetown, Northwestern, and Carnegie Mellon.
The Department of Education has required universities to disclose foreign funding since 2019, but compliance remains inconsistent. The increase in undisclosed contributions grew by 55% since 2020.
