US students turn to Canada as Trump revokes visas and slashes university funding

More students living in the United States are now eyeing Canada for higher education, following a sharp turn in education policy under president Donald Trump. His administration has cut federal funding to several universities and revoked the visas of many foreign students, especially those involved in pro-Palestinian demonstrations. Deportation proceedings have also begun for some.

At the University of British Columbia (UBC) in Vancouver, officials reported a 27% rise in graduate applications from US citizens for the 2025 academic year, compared to the previous cycle, according to CNN. The school briefly reopened admissions this week to accommodate increased demand, with plans to fast-track American applicants for programmes starting in September.

UBC’s provost, Gage Averill, linked the surge directly to Trump’s visa crackdowns and the growing monitoring of students' social media accounts.

“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.

The University of Toronto and the University of Waterloo have also recorded an increase in interest and applications from US-based students. Waterloo saw a 15% rise in website traffic from the US since September 2024.

Trump’s education policy has focused on penalising universities that continue with diversity or climate science initiatives, pushing some institutions into crisis. Hundreds of millions in federal funds have been frozen in the process.

Despite Canada placing a cap on international student admissions for the second consecutive year, schools are still trying to accommodate the rise in American interest. Officials say they expect institutions to admit only as many students as they can support, including providing proper housing.