Trump’s new policies fuel spike in US students seeking Canadian university spots

As US President Donald Trump cuts federal funding to numerous universities and revokes foreign student visas Canadian universities are seeing a rise in interest from US students.

Harvard became the first university to publicly defy the Trump administration's demands for policy changes, prompting the federal government to freeze $2 billion in contracts and leading President Trump to threaten the school’s tax-exempt status.

Many students are now looking north for stability and academic opportunity. Both international and American students are increasingly exploring alternatives abroad.

Officials at the University of British Columbia’s Vancouver campus reported a 27% increase in graduate applications from U.S. citizens for programs beginning in the 2025 academic year, as of March 1, compared to the total number received in 2024.

Amid growing interest from American students, the University of British Columbia’s Vancouver campus briefly reopened graduate admissions this week for several programs, aiming to fast-track applications from U.S. citizens hoping to start their studies this September.

The University of Toronto—Canada’s largest by student population—has also seen a rise in applications from the US for its 2025 programs, while officials at the University of Waterloo noted an uptick in campus visits and web traffic from American users since last fall.

Although the Toronto and Waterloo campuses haven’t publicly speculated on the cause, UBC officials linked the surge directly to recent policies under the Trump administration.

US visa crisis sends students flocking to Canadian universities

Gage Averill, UBC Vancouver’s provost and vice president of academics, explained to Reuters that the rise in applications is largely driven by the Trump administration’s abrupt visa revocations for international students and increased scrutiny of their social media activity.

“That, as a result, and especially as a result of the very recent crackdown on visas in the United States for international students, and now the development of a center that’s reading foreign students’ social media accounts,” Averill said.

While UBC has seen a modest 2% increase in undergraduate applications for this year’s programs, interest from US students appears to be growing, with campus tour requests up by 20%.

“We were concerned about the United States universities, our sister institutions in the US, who are under enormous pressure right now,” Averill noted, referring to the Trump administration’s pressure on universities to limit diversity initiatives and climate science research.

The US remains one of the top three countries for international student enrollment at UBC, with about 1,500 U.S. students currently enrolled across both graduate and undergraduate programs.

The University of Toronto, often seen as a top alternative to U.S. Ivy League schools, has reported a significant rise in applications from students living or studying in the U.S., compared to previous years, according to a university statement.

The University of Waterloo, renowned for its strong technical graduate programs and producing exceptional engineering talent, has noticed a rise in interest and applications from U.S. students, particularly in its engineering faculties.

“We have seen an increase in US visitors to the UW Visitors Centre on campus, and web traffic that originates in the US has increased by 15% since September 2024,” a University of Waterloo spokesperson said.

Although the nationality of the applicants was not mentioned.

US crackdown and Canada’s student cap reshaping academic migration

In the US, tensions have mounted as the federal government freezes significant funding to multiple universities, accusing them of failing to address antisemitism on campus.

At the same time, authorities have canceled visas and initiated deportation proceedings for foreign students involved in pro-Palestinian demonstrations, sparking alarm over academic freedom and freedom of expression.

Meanwhile, Canada is tightening its own policies. For the second consecutive year, a cap has been placed on the number of international students permitted to study in the country.

The government says the limit ensures institutions only accept as many students as they can reasonably support, including with adequate housing. Provinces and territories are in charge of allocating spaces under the cap.

As US policies push more students toward Canadian universities, the shift in academic migration highlights a growing preference for stability and academic freedom. While Canadian institutions are seeing increased interest, the country’s own student caps may pose future challenges for both incoming students and universities.

(With agency inputs)