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US President Joe Biden . Photo : Jim Watson / AFP they would begin their studies in April-July , suggesting the students believed travel restriction would not be lifted for a few more months at least .
The third most popular commencement date was August-October 2022 ( 15 per cent ). The broad spread of responses to the question also underscores the ongoing uncertainty facing the world as the vaccine rollouts commence in some countries and continue in others .
Biden bounce
New administration boosts student perceptions of studying in the US .
By Wade Zaglas
A survey of nearly 1000 prospective international students has highlighted how Joe Biden ’ s presidential election win has dramatically improved their perceptions of studying in the US .
The survey was conducted by IDP Connect , part of student recruitment group IDP Education , and has been developed into a report titled International Student Perceptions following the 2020 US Presidential Election .
The report shows that more than three quarters ( 76 per cent ) of the respondents from more than 40 countries “ have improved perceptions of the US since the 2020 Presidential Election ”. A substantial 67 per cent of the respondents also stated they were more likely now to study in the US .
An overwhelming 74 per cent of respondents also indicated the Biden administration would have a positive effect on their home countries , while only 18 per cent reported it would have no effect and eight per cent believed it would cause a negative effect .
“ I really hope that the result of the election helps students like me to move to America and pursue our dreams ,” a prospective undergraduate student from India said .
A prospective graduate student from Nigeria also said : “ With this new administration , the United States will favour citizens of my country to study appropriately with due consideration .”
NINE KEY FACTORS The researchers identified nine other areas that could provide more insights into the participants ’ perceptions : ∞ Response to coronavirus ∞ Safety of citizens and visitors ∞ Welfare of international students ∞ Economic stability of the US ∞ Travel restriction policies post-study ∞ Work visa policies ∞ Perceptions of the US overseas ∞ Political stability of the US ∞ Management of social issues ( e . g . community divisions ) The international students were asked to rate how they feel the Biden administration will affect each of these nine key factors on a scale from 0 to 10 . On average , the respondents believed all nine factors were likely to improve , with the welfare of international students registering highest on the scale ( 7.52 ) and travel restriction policies coming in lowest ( 6.94 ), suggesting lingering concerns about border closures due to the pandemic .
Respondents were also asked when they expected to commence their studies , with the majority ( 38 per cent ) responding they would begin in August-October of this year . Only 19 per cent of the students said
THREATS FROM ABROAD ? Responses to other questions highlight that a highly competitive global sector exists .
“ US universities , colleges and education institutions should be looking at their recruitment strategies and practices to ensure they capture this momentum and support students in their decision-making process ,” the report says .
The students were asked to list other countries they were considering studying in , with the survey finding the following : ∞ Canada : 50 per cent ∞ United Kingdom : 41 per cent ∞ Australia : 28 per cent ∞ Not considering other destinations :
16 per cent ∞ New Zealand : 13 per cent ∞ A destination not listed here : 7 per cent .
Although half of the respondents were considering studying in Canada , and a significant 41 per cent were considering the UK , the report stated that “ improved perceptions of the US could indicate increasing competition for these three destinations in future enrolment cycles ”, with Australia likely to be affected .
THE SURVEY RESPONDENTS The overwhelming majority of survey respondents were from India ( 483 ), followed by Kenya ( 74 ) and Bangladesh ( 67 ).
More than half ( 51 per cent ) of the participants were interested in postgraduate programs , while 30 per cent and 19 per cent were interested in undergraduate degree and other programs , respectively .
Simon Emmett , CEO of IDP Connect , said the survey ’ s findings reflect how students are “ tuned into ” political discussions involving the entire world .
“ It will be interesting to see if student perceptions of the US as a study destination continue to improve over the long-term .” ■
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