Will the 2024 US election results impact your decision to study in the US?

Students don't care about US election results?

Organization education Intead (USA) in collaboration with Studyportals (Netherlands) recently published the results of a survey of 1.028 international students about their choice to study in the US in the near future. The report found that although 70% of students had a positive impression of Ms. Kamala Harris, in general, "many students do not care who is in the White House when deciding to study abroad", meaning that the US election results do not have much impact on international students.

“International students tend to prioritize and focus on their educational opportunities and personal goals, with little regard for which political figure is in power,” the report said. However, the report also found that 17,4% of respondents said they would prefer to study in the US if Ms. Harris were president, while 36% did not express a clear preference for any candidate.

In June, when Joe Biden was still running for the Democratic presidential nomination, Intead and Studyportals also conducted a survey of 6 potential students. At that time, 2.492% of respondents said that who is or will be the US president does not affect their decision to study in the US. “This view may stem from skepticism – the belief that politics does not affect students’ opportunities,” the report said.

The data may also stem from international students’ “strong confidence” that regardless of who is in power, the US education system and student visa policies will remain stable. However, this indifference to the presidential election results is “worrisome” because the new administration could have a profound impact on international students’ access to visas, education, and employment, said Ben Waxman, CEO of Intead.

Who do international students want to win?

In early October, IDP Education (Australia) also announced the results of a survey of 10 potential international students on the same topic. Statistics showed that 916% of survey participants said that the results of the US presidential election did not affect their decision to study in the US. Meanwhile, 54% of students shared that who holds the White House can affect their decision to some extent.

Of that 35%, 57% of international students want Kamala Harris to win. As for gender ratio, 49% of international students who support Donald Trump are male and 38% are female.

“Regardless of the election outcome, many international students still have a long-term goal of studying in the US, and this demonstrates the strong appeal of US educational institutions globally,” said Simon Emmett, CEO of IDP Connect.

This statistic is completely different from the previous election, as the 2021 survey also by IDP showed that 67% of international students are more likely to choose to study in the US after Joe Biden's victory. This is nearly double the 35% mark mentioned above, showing that the 2020 election has a greater impact on international students.

“IDP research shows that students always focus on practical aspects when studying abroad, such as the quality of education, and the US is always highly rated in this regard,” explained Ms. Fanta Aw, Executive Director of NAFSA: Association of International Educators.

“While some international students may be concerned about the impact of the election, we should focus on improving the quality of education and supporting international students. This is the best way to attract talent to educational institutions in the US,” Ms. Aw added.

This year, the US election takes place on the morning of November 5.11 (local time), which is the same evening in Vietnam. Most polling stations close from 19-23pm on November 5.11 (Eastern Standard Time), which is 9-11am on November 6.11 (Vietnam time). Results are expected to be announced gradually after local polling stations close and may last for several days after that.