NH GOP Questions College's Preference for International Students

New Hampshire Republican state Rep. Joe Sweeney is raising concerns that the University of New Hampshire is edging out local prospective students for international applicants — an allegation the university strongly denies, according to local New Hampshire ABC News station WMUR 9.

Sweeney said a right-to-know request revealed that 2,450 New Hampshire residents were denied admission during the past four years and that preference was given to international and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) students.

"There's still a preference in those numbers, as well, that international students get to the front of the line," Sweeney said. "And New Hampshire residents, New Hampshire families, that their taxpayer dollars are funding the university system and subsidizing that education, they're being shown the door. And that's just not right."

UNH officials rejected the claim, stating more than 85% of in-state applicants are accepted and denials are based solely on financial and academic readiness.

"Students are denied admission if they are not academically prepared. The last thing we want to do is have students paying tuition and possibly taking on debt if they are not prepared. UNH does not admit international students at the expense of New Hampshire students," the university said.