More and more American students are studying outside the borders of the United States. During the year 2023-2024, nearly 300,000 people registered for at least one semester in a foreign university. European destinations, notably Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom and France, remain particularly popular, note Business Insider. But since Donald Trump’s return to power, young Americans who pursue studies abroad have found themselves faced with a “new reality”underlines the New York information site.
“The chaos currently reigning in the United States” pursues American students across the country’s borders – when they manage to cross them. In fact, the context appears less favorable than before. “Costs are increasing, stock markets are uncertain and the political climate can be hostile,” warns Business Insider.
On the one hand, the budgets of most American higher education institutions are under stress. Subsidies are declining, whether awarded by the federal government or by the states. Additionally, the Trump administration’s immigration policy has resulted in a drop in the number of foreign students paying high tuition fees.
Result: fewer scholarships awarded to young Americans who go on study abroad trips – or less generous scholarships. “Some can count on their parents, but the fragility of the American job market, economic uncertainty and strong wealth inequalities in the United States mean that this solution is far from guaranteed.”
On the other hand, American students who settle abroad for a few months or a few years cannot ignore the political realities of their country of origin. “In today’s globalized world, true escape is impossible,” relieving Business Insider.
Parents are now worried about how their child will be received abroad as an American citizen. As for young people leaving the United States, they have good reason to be concerned about the sudden changes in the Trump administration’s policies. “With all these changes, at times it can feel like the updates are daily,” testifies Amine Mechaal, head of international relations at Columbia University in New York.
The fact remains that in the eyes of many American families, a study abroad trip is no longer a luxury. A recent survey of students from several business schools attached to large public universities showed that students who have spent time abroad earn a better living than others as soon as they graduate: from their first job, the difference in income amounts to 6.3%.
[Cet article a été publié le 24 décembre 2025 et republié le 10 février 2026]
date: 2026-02-10 16:38:00
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