LONDON, U.K.: As the Trump administration ramped up pressure on U.S. colleges to reduce their reliance on international students, while tightening immigration rules and adding more scrutiny for foreign applicants, other countries began to see an opportunity.
The U.S. government sparked outrage in the spring by targeting international students who took part in pro-Palestinian protests. Some were threatened with deportation, and the legal status of thousands of international students was suddenly revoked — in some cases over minor infractions like traffic tickets. These moves added to the growing sense of uncertainty among international students in America.
Although the U.S. is still a top destination for higher education, many students are now seriously looking at other countries they may not have considered before. This shift could have lasting consequences for American universities and the broader economy.
One sign of the trouble is that long visa delays in China have led many students to give up on studying in the U.S. entirely. Universities in Hong Kong report a rise in transfer requests from international students currently enrolled in the U.S., while the U.K. has seen a surge in applications for undergraduate programs.
According to a study by NAFSA, an organization that promotes global education, international enrollment in the U.S. could fall by 30 to 40 percent this fall. That would result in an estimated US$7 billion loss to the American economy. Many international students pay full tuition, so their absence also creates financial strain for colleges.
Britain, the second-most popular country for international education, stands to gain. Even as the new Labour government vows to tighten immigration and limit the length of time foreign graduates can stay and work, admissions experts say the U.K. is still seen as the most welcoming among the four major English-speaking destinations: the U.S., the U.K., Canada, and Australia.
Recent numbers back this up. Undergraduate applications from international students to U.K. universities rose 2.2 percent this fall after a drop last year. Applications from China grew 10 percent, and U.S. applications hit nearly 8,000 — a 14 percent rise and the highest in 20 years. Graduate school acceptances from international students also climbed by about 10 percent, especially in business and management programs, according to UniQuest, a firm that works with British universities.
Mike Henniger, CEO of Illume Student Advisory Services, said it will take until the fall to get a clear picture of how significant the shift really is. But already, he said, “the American brand has taken a massive hit — and the U.K. is the one that is benefiting.”
In Asia, demand from Chinese students is growing fast for universities in Hong Kong, Singapore, and Malaysia, said Will Kwong of AAS Education, a Hong Kong-based consultancy. Many Western universities have offshore campuses in these regions that are less expensive and easier to access than studying in the U.S. or U.K.
Kwong added that some Asian families no longer see the U.S. as their automatic first choice due to the political climate and visa troubles. Many students are still waiting for U.S. visa interviews and are likely to miss the start of the fall semester.
Still, some remain hopeful. Alisa, a Chinese undergraduate studying data science, plans to attend an exchange program this fall at the University of California, Berkeley. Despite the growing difficulties, she hopes to stay on for a master’s degree in the U.S.
But she is also looking into other options, “just so I could still go to school if the extreme scenario occurs,” said Alisa, who spoke on condition of partial anonymity out of fear of being targeted.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)
