US no longer top higher education option for students from UAE
US President Donald Trump completed his 100 days in office on Saturday, but while some hail his efforts and others highlight his failings, educators and students in the UAE have mixed views on how his presidency has impacted overseas study trends here.
According to data gathered on Edarabia.com — the number one Education Guide in the Middle East — it seems Middle Eastern students are less likely to study in the US now. For the period of January to April 2017, traffic and student search queries on the website saw a shift in sentiment when it came to study options abroad.
Farid Gasim, founder of Edarabia, told Khaleej Times that search options are becoming more popular for destinations like Canada, Australia and the UK respectively, with the US slowly going down in the ranking, now in fourth place.
As per a report by the American Association of College Registrars and Admissions Officers, 39 per cent of US universities have reported a decline in applications from countries in the Middle East — the UAE being one of them. After Canada, Australia and the UK, Gasim said the most popular study abroad destinations for Middle Eastern students now are (still) the US, Ireland, France, Spain, Italy, Germany, and New Zealand. “It is clear that the political rhetoric of the recent US elections and concerns about future visa restrictions has resulted in a change in perception for many students, which explains the shift in focus to other study abroad destinations,” he added.
But for Peter Davos, founder and managing director, Hale Education — the leading independent educational consulting firm in the GCC — students here are still keen to explore American study opportunities. “While Trump’s presidency sparked considerable debate and conversation, particularly after the election, (I think) the same trends in international higher education will continue to prevail.”
He told Khaleej Times that students from Muslim countries will still account for a “significant portion of international students in the US”, with Saudis taking up the fourth spot in the ranking. “The same dynamics apply to students in the UAE. Every year, we see more students applying to US uni- versities, especially since students’ ability to remain in the UK after graduation are becoming more restrictive,” he said. Davos believes one of the reasons Trump’s victory “has not played a significant role in influencing students’ college decisions” has been the reactions from colleges themselves. “All major colleges have reaffirmed their commitment to openness and religious tolerance and students have responded positively to this.”
Furthermore, each of the two executive orders Trump tried to implement in order to limit immigration have been successfully stymied in the courts, which has reassured students that their welfare will be
Search options are now becoming more popular for Canada, australia and the UK respectively.” Farid Gasim, Edarabia founder
Choosing the US is a no-brainer for those who want top-notch research facilities, faculty etc.” Peter Davos, MD, Hale Education
taken seriously. “Choosing the US is a no-brainer for students who want access to top-notch research and facilities, award-winning faculty and a vibrant student atmosphere,” Davos said. But with Edarabia’s online searches already witnessing trend changes in Trump’s first 100 days, a clearer picture on just how he has impacted university planning may develop throughout the academic year.