Political Climate Affecting International Student Applications
A new survey reveals that nearly 40 percent of U.S. higher education institutions are seeing a drop in the amount of applications from international students. At 39 percent, the highest declines involved undergraduate applications from the Middle East, as reported by Inside Higher Ed. More than 250 U.S. colleges and universities participated in the survey, which was conducted by six higher education groups including the Institute of International Education and NAFSA: Association of International Educators.This decline in applications and concerns about future enrollment is more noticeable because steady increases in the international student population have become the norm – reaching an all-time high in 2016 at about 1,050,000[1]. The decline is of concern to the institutions and to the American people for several reasons. International students typically pay full tuition, essentially subsidizing the cost for American students going to school on financial aid. Furthermore, international students comprise more than half of the graduates with a P.H.D in STEM fields (Science, Engineering, Technology, Medicine), according to the Atlantic.International students that decide not to apply to the U.S. will likely go to Canada, Britain, Australia or Norway – a shift that will negatively impact American innovation, as stated in the Atlantic. As highlighted by Inside Higher Ed, the list of major concerns for prospective international students, especially those from Middle East, Asia, and Latin America, include:
- Perception of the U.S. as providing a less welcoming and tolerant climate for immigrants
- Perception or a rise in student visa denials at U.S. embassies and consulates
- Concerns that benefits and restrictions around visas could change, especially around the ability to travel, re-entry after travel and employment opportunities
- Concerns that the executive order travel ban might expand to include additional countries
