A growing number of US students are turning their backs on traditional American universities in favor of academic institutions across Europe, the UK, and Asia. Motivated by soaring tuition fees, increasing student debt, and domestic political instability, many are opting to study abroad in search of stability and affordability.
Applications from US students to foreign universities have climbed sharply in recent years. The International Institute of Education reported that the number of US students studying abroad rose from approximately 50,000 in 2019 to over 90,000 in 2024. This marks a near-doubling within five years, driven by factors both financial and political.
Cost pressures and safety concerns influence decisions
For 19-year-old Genevieve Smith, the decision to apply overseas became clear after reviewing tuition costs and considering the social climate at home. The California native, who studied at Santa Rosa Junior College, initially planned to attend UC Santa Cruz but changed course to save money and avoid high fees.
Smith expressed, “I feel as though going overseas, I can make a bigger difference,” explaining that affordability and safety influenced her decision after the 2024 US election. She is currently preparing applications for Leiden University in The Hague and Utrecht University in the Netherlands, focusing on international law.
James Edge, founder of Beyond the States, a consultancy for students seeking education abroad, noted that interest has “skyrocketed” since the 2024 election. From November 2024 to July 2025, website visits jumped from 600,990 to 1,534,929. Strategy calls also surged from 2,215 to 29,373 in the same period.
Political climate shifts academic priorities
Ongoing campus protests, visa cancellations, and litigation involving US universities and the Trump administration have added to student concerns. Many families now explore international options as a safeguard against domestic unrest.
The UK has seen a significant rise in US applicants. Data from UCAS, the UK’s centralized admissions service, shows a 14% increase in US student applications this year – the largest jump since data collection began in 2006.
Debt fears push students towards global alternatives
Rising student debt has also played a critical role. One in six Americans holds federal student loans, with total debt now exceeding $1.6 trillion. In contrast, annual tuition in Europe and the UK averages around $9,000, compared to $11,000 to $30,000 in the US.
Jyslodet Davis, a 21-year-old student, was drawn to study abroad to avoid “exorbitant fees for a degree.” Davis enrolled at Anglo-American University in Prague in August 2023, covering costs through a military family grant, scholarships, and personal savings. She later spent a semester at Sophia University in Tokyo, which she said “ruined Europe for me, once I saw what school was like in Japan.”
Since moving abroad, Davis has visited 21 countries and made friends from Brazil, Japan, and other nations. She acknowledged difficulties with visas and the distance from home, but maintained she had “no regrets” about her decision to study overseas.
However, she also shared concerns about her career prospects in the US, noting that without American internships and networks, she may face challenges entering the local job market. Nonetheless, Davis would still “encourage other prospective students to explore a similar path.”