Education Department launches new foreign funding disclosure portal for universities

The Department of Education announced a new portal for institutions of higher education to report funding received from foreign sources on Dec. 1. 

The agency is set to officially launch the portal — which it says will allow for continued adherence to Section 117 of the Higher Education Act — on Jan. 2, 2026. The act requires all postsecondary institutions that receive federal financial assistance to disclose foreign source gifts and contracts with values over $250,000.

In May, the Education Department initiated an investigation into Penn for “reports of inaccurate and untimely foreign funding disclosures.” 

“The Trump Administration is launching a new state-of-the-art system for colleges and universities to more efficiently and securely report their foreign gifts and contracts as required under the law,” Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said via a press release.

A request for comment was left with a University spokesperson. Requests were also left with the Education Department and the United States House Committee on Education and Workforce.

After years of “neglect by the Biden Administration,” McMahon added, the portal will assist institutions of higher education “in fulfilling their statutory responsibilities and enable us to protect our national security by facilitating improved compliance.”

The portal, according to the announcement, will include improved features such as “the ability to upload foreign funding disclosures in bulk rather than individually,” executive summary visualizations, and other tools helpful for universities to create and submit reports to the department.

The new system — which was described as a “top priority” for the Trump administration — has already undergone beta testing by several universities, including the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Arizona.

In May, the Education Department provided the University with a 30-day deadline to comply with the department’s request for information. The letter warned that Penn’s “failure to provide timely and accurate reports” could result in “civil action by the U.S. Department of Justice.”

“For years, American colleges skirted the rules and failed to accurately report the foreign donations they received,” a Dec. 1 social media post from the House Committee on Education and Workforce read. “As foreign entities continue targeting American schools, the Trump administration is taking this threat seriously and protecting students from foreign influence.”

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