More international graduate management education (GME) candidates say the outcome of the U.S. presidential election will impact their decision to study in the United States now that the election has been decided, and President Donald J. Trump has taken office.
In the May-October time period leading up to the election, 72 percent of international candidates interested in studying in the United States said the election would not impact their decision to pursue GME in the United States. According to the latest data from the GMAC Prospective Students Survey, that number has dropped to 57 percent in the November-March time period following the election.
Roughly the same share of candidates reported that the election outcome made them more likely and less likely to pursue GME in the United States. Now, 21 percent of international prospective students say they are less or significantly less likely to study in the United States, and 22 percent of candidates say they are more likely or significantly more likely.
Pre- and Post-Election International Student Sentiment
Source: GMAC Prospective Students Survey (note: The November 2024-March 2025 timeframe includes data through March 5.)
*Indicates a statistically significant change
This relatively even break is seen across regions, with the exception of Latin America. Candidates in Western Europe are the least likely to be neutral—29 percent say they are less or significantly less likely to study in the United States due to the election results, and 26 percent of Western European candidates also say they are more or significantly more likely to study in the United States.
Impact of the U.S. Presidential Election on Plans to Study in the United States by Region, November-March
|
Region of Citizenship |
Less or Significantly Less Likely to Study in the United States |
Election Outcome Does Not Impact Likelihood to Pursue GME in the United States |
More or Significantly More Likely to Study in the United States |
Sample Size (November-March) |
|
Central and South Asia |
24% |
53% |
23% |
215 |
|
East and Southeast Asia |
20% |
63% |
17% |
93 |
|
Western Europe |
29% |
45% |
26% |
77 |
|
Eastern Europe |
22% |
62% |
17% |
54 |
|
Latin America |
11% |
67% |
22% |
38 |
Source: GMAC Prospective Students Survey
International candidates are even more neutral toward the U.S. election outcome than before.
According to the GMAC presidential election research brief published last year and the latest GMAC Prospective Students Survey results, larger shares of international prospective students are reporting that the U.S. election will not influence their decision to pursue graduate management education in the United States.
This neutrality is not a new phenomenon. A plurality of international prospective students also reported U.S. elections would not influence their decision to pursue GME in the United States during the time periods following the 2016 election, leading up to the 2018 legislative primaries, and following the 2020 election.
In the four months or so following the election, neutrality has decreased, though remains above the neutrality rates seen in previous cycles.
There also appears to be a more even distribution of international candidates who say the election will make them more or less likely to study in the United States compared to previous cycles, during which sentiment was less favorable toward President Trump.
Influence of U.S. Elections on International Students’ Application Plans to the United States
Source: GMAC Prospective Students Survey
Past trends may help predict future patterns of candidate behavior—but the context is different.
During President Trump’s previous tenure, the number of graduate students studying in the United States declined for the first time in 10 years from 2017-2020, and the share of GME programs reporting declines in international applications peaked in 2018. However, any repeated impacts felt under Trump’s first term might be diluted due to international candidates’ growing apathy.
Relative Change in International Applications to U.S. Programs, 2014-2023
Source: Application Trends Survey
In addition, Trump has returned to office as other top study destinations for international talent are aiming to curb the number of students from abroad. For example, Canada and Australia have sought to implement caps in international enrollment, and the United Kingdom restricted international students’ dependents from traveling with them to the country.
Because these policy shifts are happening in top study destinations simultaneously, it is that much harder to predict the ultimate impacts on geographic mobility. In the meantime, GMAC will continue to leverage the latest data to track international student intentions.
