The political leadership in the United States won’t affect the desire to study there for a high percentage of prospective international students, in contrast to the same survey in 2016/17, according to a new report by Studyportals and Intead.
The Know Your Neighborhood 2024 Survey Summary Report examines the influence of politics and political leadership on student sentiments and decisions, including how the US presidential election results will influence international student enrolments. It found that, for about 42 per cent of respondents, the political leadership in the US didn’t make a difference to their desire to study. And 30 per cent expressed being more likely to choose to study in the US under a Trump presidency.
These results contrast with the 2016/17 Know Your Neighborhood report, when Donald Trump ran for, and won the US presidential election. At this time, 54 per cent of respondents were less likely to pursue studies in the US due to concerns about Trump’s leadership and 32 per cent of respondents were indifferent. The 2024 report points out, though, that the declines in international students who went to the US after Trump’s election was not nearly at the level expressed in the survey results.
The 2024 report also found that concerns about religious/racial discrimination, personal safety, and political instability had no influence on the desire to study abroad for 44 per cent of respondents.
The survey was conducted between 11 March and 19 April 2024 with almost 2500 respondents completing the survey.
You can download a copy of the Know Your Neighborhood 2024 Survey Summary Report here.
