Fading American dream? 5 destinations where students can thrive as Trump closes doors to the US
The American Dream is fading fast for international students. Since January 2025, under Trump's second term, the US has become a far more uncertain destination for global talent.
Stricter visa scrutiny, growing surveillance, and political crackdowns have created a climate of fear on campuses once known for freedom and opportunity.
The Optional Practical Training (OPT) program, a lifeline for students seeking post-study work, now hangs by a thread. The H-1B visa is under attack, with proposals to narrow eligibility and increase denials. Harvard—once a symbol of American higher education—had its ability to admit international students suspended and faces a freeze on billions in federal funding.
Its crime? Refusing to dismantle DEI programs and crack down on student protests.
Meanwhile, AI tools are being deployed to scan students' social media for 'anti-American' sentiment. Hundreds of visas have already been revoked. The threat doesn't end there. Trump has reignited calls to end birthright citizenship, casting a shadow over international families seeking long-term futures in the US.
For decades, international students poured into the US chasing innovation, mobility, and meritocracy.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
See The Value Of Anyone's' Property in Singapore By Searching Address (Take a Look)
SG Homes
Click Here
Undo
Today, they face a nation closing in on itself—less welcoming, more watchful, and increasingly politicized. What was once a land of opportunity is now a maze of red tape and ideological tests.
For many, the message is clear: The American Dream hasn't just dimmed. It's being rewritten—and they may no longer be part of it. As the US tightens its gates, students are looking at other parts of the world. Here is a look at the emerging alternatives to the US.
Ireland
Ireland is rapidly gaining traction as a preferred destination for international students, according to a new report by ApplyBoard, a Canadian study abroad platform to assist international students apply for undergraduate and postgraduate degrees.
In the 2023-24 academic year, the country recorded 40,400 international enrolments—a 15% increase from the previous year, suggests the report. Drawing on data from Ireland's Higher Education Authority (HEA), it highlights a remarkable surge in interest from Indian students, whose enrolment rose by nearly 50%.
This growth enabled India to surpass the United States as the top source of international students in Ireland.
I
reland's appeal spans both undergraduate and postgraduate programs, with postgraduate enrolments experiencing a significant 25% year-on-year increase. This trend highlights Ireland's growing reputation for advanced academic offerings, particularly in STEM fields, business, and technology.
Netherlands
The Netherlands is emerging as a new education destination for international students, according to recent data from Nuffic, a Dutch international education body. In the academic year 2025-26, international students make up 16.6% of the student population in the country, up from 15.9% the previous year, reflecting a steady upward trend.
As per the data released by Nuffic in 2025, nearly 131,000 international students have enrolled in Dutch higher education institutions, with 92,372 at universities and 38,632 at colleges.
Master's degree enrolments have seen particular growth, rising by almost 10% to reach around 20,000 students. Interestingly, 43% of these master's students had already completed their bachelor's degrees in the Netherlands—nearly double the 23% seen a decade ago—indicating strong student retention.
Technical universities are leading this growth. Eindhoven University of Technology and Delft University of Technology reported international enrolment increases of 24.4% and 21%, respectively in the academic year 2024-25, showcasing the growing appeal of Dutch institutions among international students.
Germany
According to the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), Indian student enrollment reached a record 49,483 in the 2023–24 Winter Semester—a 15.1% increase from the previous year and more than double the number from 2018–19.
Germany's strong academic reputation, especially in STEM fields, along with low or no tuition fees and relatively affordable living costs, makes it a highly attractive option compared to destinations like the U.S.
or UK.
Another contributing factor for Germany's increasing popularity is its strong 'staying rate' for international students. According to a 2022 study by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, 45% of those who arrived on student visas in 2010 remained in Germany a decade later. This suggests that many international graduates find favorable job opportunities, post-study work rights, and quality of life in Germany compelling enough to settle long-term.
France
According to a recent data presented by the Union Minister of State for Education, Dr. Sukanta Majumdar, in the Indian Parliament, France is increasingly becoming a favored destination for Indian students seeking international education. The number of Indian students in France has grown from 6,406 in 2022 to 7,484 in 2023, reaching 8,536 in 2024.
This upward trend aligns with France's ambitious target to welcome 30,000 Indian students by 2030, as announced in a joint statement issued by India and France during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Paris in February earlier this year.
France's appeal is enhanced by its strong global academic standing. In the Times Higher Education's Employability University Ranking 2025, 19 French institutions are listed in the top 250. Additionally, France ranks third globally in the Shanghai Ranking, with 14 institutions in the QS World University Ranking 2025 Top 500, and 22 institutions featured in the Top 100 across various disciplines in the World University Rankings by Subject 2025.
With supportive post-work opportunities and a student-friendly environment, France is gaining popularity on the study abroad map.
Singapore
On the Asian front, Singapore is becoming an increasingly popular destination for Indian students, supported by the strong educational and economic progress of its Indian community. Minister K. Shanmugam recently highlighted that 41% of Indian residents aged 25 and above in Singapore held university degrees in 2020, up from 16.5% in 2000, reflecting a sharp rise in educational attainment.
This growing trend, combined with strong job prospects in Singapore, is drawing more Indian students. Proximity to India, relatively lower costs, and clearer post-study pathways further enhance its appeal.
Ready to empower your child for the AI era? Join our program now! Hurry, only a few seats left.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Mint
20 minutes ago
- Mint
Trump Administration weighs releasing Ghislaine Maxwell's DOJ interview transcript: Report
The Justice Department has an audio recording of a recent interview with Ghislaine Maxwell, and the Trump administration is currently debating whether to release a transcript, CNN reported on Tuesday (August 5), citing three senior administration officials. Maxwell, a convicted associate of Jeffrey Epstein, was interviewed last month by Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche over a two-day period at the US Attorney's office in Tallahassee, Florida. 'A final decision has not been made,' one senior official told the news outlet, confirming that discussions were ongoing within both the White House and Justice Department. A few in the administration reportedly see the release as a way to take control of the narrative, especially after widespread criticism over how Epstein-related files have been handled. 'Many officials have been frustrated with the rollout of information,' one of the sources noted. 'They want to control the optics around the issue.' One official told CNN that the recording is currently being transcribed and digitized, but portions that could compromise sensitive details—such as victim names—would need to be redacted before any public release. 'The release could be several weeks from now,' another source said, explaining that the timeline depends on decisions made at the highest levels of the West Wing and DOJ. It remains unclear whether the White House and the Department of Justice are in full agreement on how to proceed. Ghislaine Maxwell, who was sentenced in 2022 to 20 years in federal prison for her role in grooming and sexually abusing underage girls with Epstein, has continued to appeal her conviction, including a petition before the Supreme Court. Last week, she was moved from a Florida federal prison to a lower-security prison camp in Texas—a rare development for someone convicted of sex crimes. The possible release of the Maxwell interview comes amid growing pressure from Trump's political base to demonstrate greater transparency regarding Epstein-related documents. The White House has maintained that the Justice Department should release all 'credible evidence' related to the case.
Indian Express
22 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Mexico set to discuss US tariffs with Canada as ministers visit
Mexican Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard said he is set to speak with Canada's finance minister, who is visiting Mexico City, later on Tuesday about the two countries' experiences in dealing with tariffs imposed on goods shipped to the United States. 'They want to know how Mexico is getting these results,' Ebrard told journalists. Mexico was able to avoid 30% tariffs on its shipments to the US set to come into force last week, securing a 90-day pause to work on a trade deal with the government of US President Donald Trump. Meanwhile, Trump slapped a 35% duty on many goods coming from Canada, hiking the rate from a 25% fentanyl-related tariff imposed earlier this year. 'We're going to exchange experiences,' Ebrard said. 'They're paying a 35% tariff, and Mexico isn't.' Mexico is still subject to the previously imposed 25% fentanyl tariffs, though goods sent under the United States-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) trade agreement – which are most of them – are exempt. Trump has said the US would continue to levy a 50% tariff on Mexican steel, aluminum and copper and a 25% tariff on Mexican autos and on the non-USMCA-compliant goods. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum met with the Canadian finance minister, Francois-Philippe Champagne, as well as Foreign Minister Anita Anand, earlier in the day at Mexico's national palace. 'We're strengthening the relationship between our countries,' she said in a post on X.
Mint
22 minutes ago
- Mint
President of wealthy Switzerland rushes to Washington to try to avert steep US tariffs
GENEVA — After weeks of working with U.S. officials to try to avoid hefty tariffs on Swiss goods, negotiators from Switzerland got assurances that a deal was all but done. Swiss businesses vowed to pour tens of billions in investment in the United States in the coming years. Still, President Donald Trump said no to any special deal. Now a scramble is underway ahead of Thursday, the deadline for when the whopping 39% tariff on Swiss products announced last week goes into effect. Switzerland's President Karin Keller-Sutter and other top officials traveled to Washington on Tuesday to try to convince Trump that the measure — among the highest from the Trump administration — was too much and could cut profits for famed Swiss industries like chocolates and watchmaking. The new rate is over 2 1/2 times higher than the one on European Union goods exported to the U.S. and nearly four times higher than on British exports to the U.S. — raising questions about Switzerland's ability to compete with the 27-member bloc that it neighbors. Under the U.S. announcements from last Friday, the export duties imposed on Swiss companies will now only be surpassed by those on firms from Laos, Myanmar and Syria, which are facing 40-41% rates. Switzerland's case is a lesson in do's and don'ts of doing business with Trump. The thinking goes, if a rich country with economic might that excels in technology, pharmaceuticals and finance can't convince the U.S. president to scale back the high tariffs, who can? Trump himself seems to be focused on a single, high number: Switzerland's trade surplus in goods with the U.S. In an interview with CNBC on Tuesday, Trump alluded to a recent call he had with Keller-Sutter, saying 'the woman was nice, but she didn't want to listen' and that he had told her: 'We have a $41 billion deficit with you, Madame.' It was not immediately clear where that $41 billion figure came from. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the U.S. ran a $38.3 billion trade imbalance on goods last year with Switzerland. That figure excludes exports of services. Keller-Sutter, who also serves as Switzerland's finance minister, has faced criticism in Swiss media over the last-ditch call with Trump before a U.S. deadline on tariffs expired Aug. 1, which some say appeared to make things worse. The 39% rate is even higher than the 31% on Swiss goods announced on Trump's 'Liberation Day' in early April — before the Swiss started negotiating with U.S. officials. The new figure took many Swiss business leaders by surprise. 'It's hard to negotiate when you're dealing with someone as unpredictable as Donald Trump,' said Ivan Slatkine, head of the Federation of Romandie Enterprises, which groups companies in the French-speaking part of Switzerland. 'We had a government that gave the impression the deal was done, it only awaited a signature from the president,' Slatkine told The Associated Press over the phone. 'We have the impression that we were punished, but we don't know why.' The United States is Switzerland's second-biggest trading partner after the EU, which nearly surrounds the Alpine country of more than 9 million. The Swiss government said Tuesday's trip was meant to 'facilitate meetings with the U.S. authorities at short notice and hold talks with a view to improving the tariff situation for Switzerland.' Swiss officials have argued that American goods face virtually zero tariffs in Switzerland, and the Swiss government says the wealthy Alpine country is the sixth-biggest foreign investor in the U.S. and the leading investor in research and development. Switzerland's powerful pharmaceutical industry — which promised tens of billions of investments in the U.S. in recent months amid the tariff worries — is exempt from the 39% rate. But Slatkine said the steep tariff level could be aimed to send Switzerland's Big Pharma — epitomized by Roche and Novartis — a message that it too could come under pressure. The trip comes a day after Switzerland's executive branch, the Federal Council, held an extraordinary meeting and said it was 'keen to pursue talks with the United States on the tariff situation,' according to a government statement. After consulting with Swiss businesses, the council said it had developed 'new approaches for its discussions' with U.S. officials and was looking ahead to continued negotiations. "Switzerland enters this new phase ready to present a more attractive offer, taking U.S. concerns into account and seeking to ease the current tariff situation," the council said. According to figures published by the Swiss Embassy in Washington, the U.S. has been Switzerland's most important goods export market since 2021, while Switzerland is the fourth most important export market for U.S. services — not goods. The bilateral trade volume in goods and services between Switzerland and the U.S. reached a total of $185.9 billion in 2023, the embassy says on its website. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
