As the U.S. Trump administration continues its all-out pressuring of universities, American students have turned their attention to the United Kingdom as an alternative for studying abroad.
According to the Financial Times (FT) on the 28th (local time), interest among American students in studying in the UK has surged since President Trump’s anti-university stance.
According to the global study search platform StudyPortals, in March, the search volume for UK degree programs among American students increased by 25% compared to the same month last year. During the same period, demand for overseas university courses in the U.S. decreased by 15%, while interest in UK universities increased by 13%. Notably, FT noted that "the cessation of funding for prestigious universities such as Harvard and Princeton and the cancellation of foreign student visas have had a decisive impact."
President Trump has recently demanded the federal government expand its authority over college admissions and hiring. Indeed, Columbia University and Princeton University are under pressure from the administration to restructure governance, while Harvard University has refused to submit foreign student visa data and has filed a lawsuit against the government. As a result, about 1,500 foreign students have had their visa registrations canceled, putting them at risk of halting their studies.
The lack of response to anti-Semitism issues in the U.S. is also being used as a justification for the government’s attacks on universities. However, FT analyzed that "a series of actions by the Trump administration are undermining the status of American universities in the international community, potentially leading to a decrease in actual competitiveness."
The exodus of demand for studying abroad from the U.S. is benefiting the UK, which maintains relatively stable policies. Mark Bennett, director of Keystone Education Group, noted, "As competing countries like Canada and Australia restrict visa issuance, the UK is emerging as a stronger alternative." He added, "The fact that the UK government is clearly sending a welcoming message to international students is the biggest difference from the Trump administration in the U.S."
In fact, the Keystone master's program search platform showed that interest in studying in the U.S. decreased by 27% in the first quarter of this year compared to the same period last year, while interest in studying in the UK increased by 23%. This is seen as a positive signal in a situation where UK higher education institutions significantly depend on revenue from overseas student tuition.
According to the Higher Education Statistics Agency, the number of American students in the UK for the 2023-2024 academic year is 23,250, making it the fifth-largest group among all international students.
FT analyzed that "the rising status of international education in the UK is another result of the inward policies of the Trump administration," and noted that "this could lead to a shift in the dynamics between the U.S. and the UK regarding higher education in the future."