There have been numerous alarming reports recently of international students studying at US Universities having their visas revoked, being threatened with deportation, or having issues with entering (or re-entering) the country. As a new admissions cycle begins, many thousands of international students are considering where they want to apply, and whether the US is still a top choice for them.
But how serious are these issues, and should they impact your choice of where to attend college? Further, if you choose not to attend college in the US, what other options are available to you? In this article, we’re going to look at all of these questions, so you can be well informed when making a decision that will have a profound impact on your next four years, and all the years thereafter. Let’s jump right in!
What’s Going on With International Student Visas?
The current administration has canceled the visas of several hundred international students (at the time of writing), over their speech and actions on campus. The cancelling of these visas mean they are no longer able to remain in the US, and must return to their country of origin. Some students are fighting this in court, others are already heading home.
Now the federal government has always had the power to affirm or deny student visas; in the past we have had students struggle with the visa process on occasion, but this has generally been resolved simply. Both the government and universities have historically seen the benefits of foreign students coming to the US to learn. That doesn’t mean every student is admitted, but most have not faced significant challenges.
The current administration has made immigration a key focus, and has also made several moves to assert power over elite universities. This latest bent seems to follow both approaches, targeting both universities and their students at once. It remains to be seen if these moves will be upheld in the courts; judicial actions move slowly, and there are currently a lot of them piling up.
Currently, the majority of students facing these issues are graduate students; though undergrads are certainly taking notice as well. There is no full list of the students facing issues or the reasons for each, which only adds to the overall level of uncertainty. With all of this in the air, it’s no surprise that a significant number of international students are considering whether or not they really want to attend college in the US.
Should You Reconsider Applying to US Colleges?
This is the core question posed by this. It takes four years (generally) to finish a college education, and if you stop short, you have spent a lot of time and money for no overall benefit. In the past, the only real risk here was your own capabilities; if you were able to manage the work required by the college, then you were able to graduate. International students have always had a few extra hurdles, but so long as you were careful around work eligibility rules, you could generally make it through without issue.
This was how the process has worked for years, and enabled tens of thousands of international students to earn degrees from US universities. With these most recent changes, however, the calculus has shifted. Now you must consider whether or not another administrative shift would put your education in jeopardy, and cause the time and money you invested to be wasted.
College is an investment, and like any investments, carries a degree of risk. As when making any other investment, you must then decide if the risk you take on is worth the potential reward from a successful venture. The return here is a degree from an American university, many of which are quite highly prized by companies around the globe; the risk is whether or not you complete the degree.
What are Alternatives to US Colleges?
Each country has their own higher education system, of varying quality. Many students come to the US both due to the quality of the education offered, and the high number of colleges from which you can earn a highly prestigious degree. When looking for alternatives, you need to consider what each country offers, and what possible downsides there are.
Canada
Canadian universities have traditionally been very popular with international students; while they are not quite as famous as some of their American counterparts, they do offer excellent educational opportunities. Unfortunately, however, Canada has recently decided to sharply cut the number of student visas being offered. This is due to a number of reasons, but the largest was a surfeit of demand; too many students want to attend Canadian universities, and the cities in which they are located lack the real estate to house all of them.
Canadian universities are still excellent, and worth considering, but they have also just become more competitive for admissions for international students. If you can get a student visa in the first place, however, there is far less of a risk of that getting cancelled.
The United Kingdom
The UK is home to two of the eldest and most prestigious universities in the world in Oxford and Cambridge, and has a number of other quite excellent institutions to back them up. They are a relatively popular destination already for international students, especially those from Commonwealth countries. The biggest downside for the UK is how competitive their university admissions tend to be. They do have a number of excellent schools, but competition for the top spots is quite fierce.
Europe
Higher education across the European continent is varied, but many universities are structured similarly. Some of these offer degrees in English, and while they are less popular with international students, and less well known, many have excellent programs.
The college experience in European universities is the largest difference from the US; if you are looking for that traditional experience and college culture, then you may not enjoy European offerings. College is more than just what you learn, but also all else you do during those four years.
Your Own Country
There are likely reasons you are looking to go abroad for college, but your country likely has at least a few universities of its own that may be worth considering. Whether or not this is a good option for you depends on what you’re looking to get out of college, and what kind of experience you want to have there.
American Colleges Abroad
As a final option, many US colleges have partner or branch campuses internationally. These are something of a hybrid, offering a curriculum that’s a mix of the standard American-style college experience with what you might find normally in the host country. These are a great way to get an American style education, and are often somewhat less competitive for admissions than their primary campus.
These schools do have some limitations, mostly in terms of number and location. Some also consider them less prestigious than the home campuses, but the quality of education you receive there is the same, and to the same standards. These are a choice you should consider if you are really looking for the experience of an American college, without needing to travel to the US to get it.
For more information about these campuses, and a list of potential options, we recommend our article on international campuses.
Final Thoughts
American colleges have long been a very popular destination for students from around the globe, and remain paragons of educational excellence. These colleges have long welcomed international applicants, and remain eager to do so. The current administration, however, has other priorities, and colleges are beholden to the country in which they are located. While colleges will certainly do everything in their power to support international applicants and students, their powers are limited, no matter how prestigious they are.
We hope this article has given you an understanding of how the world sits at the moment, and what your potential options are. This is all somewhat general advice; and what specifically is best for your situation depends on your own needs and priorities. If you want help navigating the admissions landscape, and determining which college will best support your needs, then schedule a free consultation with us today. We have a long experience helping international students understand the US admissions process, and are always happy to hear from you.
