Earlier on this month, it was revealed that
Trump planned to block international students
from studying at Harvard and other elite universities in the US as he
ordered embassies to stop preparing student visas.
Now, the results of his actions are showing a decline in US interest as a
study destination.
Trump’s policy
The policy that Trump is looking to introduce included widespread visa
revocations,
blocking international students at Harvard
University, and a
travel ban
on 12 countries.
These regulations are being enforced upon enrolment and will control
application levels for the incoming year.
Pie News
says that speakers are warning of longer-term damage to the overall
perception of the US.
Declining interest
“No one is banking on the US as a destination,” said Rachit Agrawal,
co-founder of Indian education consultant
AdmitKard
.
Pie News says, “Of the students Agrawal supports, demand for the US has
declined by 40%, with interest set to plummet by more than 70% in 2025 if
the trend continues.”
Recent
Studyportals data
show interest in the US to be falling to its lowest point since the middle
of the Coronavirus pandemic, with students applying to a number of
different global institutions to avoid risks caused by Trump’s
unpredictability.
“Chinese families don’t want to take a bet and spend a whole chunk of money
without knowing what’s going to happen, they would rather choose friendly
destinations,” said Junshi Zhao, China market development head at Duolingo
English Test. Zhao also said that the trust was “gone” between China and
the US.
Benefits for other countries
Zhao also says that instead of applying to just one destination, Chinese
students applying to the US are now more likely to apply to two countries
(72%) and 36% are applying to three.
It was also highlighted that the UK, Hong Kong and Singapore as the
destinations benefitting. In accordance with this,
two recent student surveys
also proved that the UK had risen to the most popular destination among
Indian students, this was proven by Rachit Agrawal and the students he
works with.
US isn’t the only country to decrease in desirability as a student
destination
However, it seems that it isn’t just the US witnessing a decrease in
international applicants. Pie News reveals that during the first quarter of
this year, Canadian study permits dropped to their
lowest level
since the pandemic. This occurs as tensions between Canada and India
contribute further to the rise of non-traditional study destinations
outside the ‘big four’.
Information sourced from
Pie News.
