As the Trump administration’s crackdown on international students intensifies, Canadian universities are witnessing a surge in applications from US citizens seeking academic freedom and safety.
Canadian Universities Report Jump in US Applicants Amid Trump Crackdown
The University of British Columbia‘s Vancouver campus has reported a 27% increase in graduate applications from US citizens for programs starting in the 2025 academic year, compared to all of 2024. This surge in interest is attributed to the ‘Trump administration’s‘ recent actions, including revoking foreign student visas and increasing scrutiny of their social media activity.
The University of Toronto, Canada’s largest university by number of students, has also seen a ‘meaningful increase’ in applications from US citizens living or studying in the US. Meanwhile, the University of Waterloo reported an increase in web traffic originating from the United States since September 2024, with some faculties experiencing increased interest and applications from US students.
University officials attribute the spike in US applications to the ‘Trump administration’s crackdown on international students.’ ‘That, as a result, and especially as a result of the very recent crackdown on visas in the United States for international students, and now the development of a center that’s reading foreign students’ social media accounts,’ said Gage Averill, UBC Vancouver’s provost and vice-president of academics.
The administration has frozen hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding for numerous universities, pressing them to make policy changes. It has also detained and begun deportation proceedings against some foreign students who took part in pro-Palestinian demonstrations, while visas for hundreds of other students have been canceled. These actions have raised concerns about speech and academic freedoms in the US.
The Trump administration, led by President Donald Trump from 2017 to 2021, implemented several key policies across various sectors.
In domestic policy, the administration focused on tax cuts, deregulation, and border security.
The 'Tax Cuts and Jobs Act' was signed into law in 2017, reducing corporate and individual tax rates.
Additionally, the administration rolled back several Obama-era regulations, including those related to environmental protection and healthcare.
In foreign policy, the Trump administration withdrew from several international agreements, including the 'Paris Climate Accord' and the 'Iran nuclear deal.'
As a result, Canadian universities are becoming increasingly attractive to US students. The University of Toronto‘s admissions office reported that interest appears to be growing, with campus tour requests from US students up by 20%. The University of Waterloo also saw an increase in web traffic originating from the United States since September 2024.
With the ‘Trump administration’s policies‘ having a significant impact on international students, Canadian universities are poised to capitalize on this trend. As one university official noted, ‘We were concerned about the United States universities, our sister institutions in the US, who are under enormous pressure right now.’
- theguardian.com | Canadian universities report jump in US applicants amid Trump crackdown
