International students keen on US regardless of election result

Prospective international students are increasingly interested in studying in the US regardless of whether Kamala Harris or Donald Trump wins the presidency in November, with more reporting that the victor of the 2024 election, in comparison with the 2020 election, will not sway their decision.

In a survey of almost 1,000 upcoming students by global services company IDP Education, respondents were asked how much the election outcome would influence their decision to study in the US. The majority of students surveyed were from India, with 281 respondents, and China, with 234 respondents, with other countries of origin including Nepal, Kenya, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nigeria.

Just over half of the students responded “not at all”, with a fifth saying “slightly”, a tenth saying “moderately” and 4 per cent saying “significantly”. In a similar survey conducted after Joe Biden’s 2020 victory, meanwhile, more than two-thirds of respondents said they were more likely to study in the US owing to the election results.

Prospective students did, however, demonstrate a preference for Kamala Harris, with 57 per cent saying they would prefer to study in the US with the Democratic candidate in the White House compared with 43 per cent opting for Donald Trump.

Female respondents were more likely to describe a Harris victory as their “preferred election outcome”, with 62 per cent backing the current vice-president, while male students were almost evenly split between the candidates.

Respondents also said that the quality of education in the US was the primary factor in its attractiveness.

“While we know that some students will be monitoring how the election outcome may impact international student policies, ultimately we must focus on our areas of strength and international student success and outcomes in order to continue to attract the brightest and best students to our diverse, world-leading institutions,” Fanta Aw, chief executive of NAFSA: Association of International Educators, said.

Increasingly restrictive policies towards international students in the UK, Australia and Canada might provide “a unique opportunity for US institutions to attract and support this growing pool of talent”, IDP Connect chief executive Simon Emmett said.

“Regardless of the election outcome, many international students have lifelong goals of studying in the US – demonstrating the strong brand of US institutions globally.”

emily.dixon@timeshighereducation.com