Lender to Foreign Students Raises $40 Million in Financingbr A survey of 250 institutions by the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers foundbr that nearly 40 percent of the responding schools reported a decline in applications from international students, particularly those from the Middle East.br The new financing comes at a time of keen interest in international students among American universities —br and a decline in applications from those students that has begun to unnerve educators.br Prodigy Finance, the lender that makes loans to international postgraduate students, said on Sundaybr that it had raised $40 million in new equity financing.br As American universities’ interest in courting international students intensifies, an online lenderbr that caters to them has drawn significant new financing.