Trump visa cuts and tariff hikes turn Chinese students away from American Dream

Larissa Liao - Reuters - 22/04
When 25-year-old biology student Yao's PhD program enrollment was deferred due to funding cuts at her U.S. university, she joined a growing list of Chinese students exploring other destinations.
  • Trump administration seen as openly hostile towards Chinese students
  • Some U.S. politicians pushing to ban visas for Chinese students
  • U.S. tariffs could affect Chinese household budgets
  • Challenges make destinations in Asia, Europe more attractive
  • Chinese no longer largest international student group in U.S.
BEIJING, April 22 (Reuters) - When 25-year-old biology student Yao's PhD program enrollment was deferred due to funding cuts at her U.S. university, she joined a growing list of Chinese students exploring other destinations.
Visa revocations and university funding cuts by the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump have become a source of anxiety for international students. Those from China face additional challenges due to Washington's trade war with Beijing and the increasing vilification of Chinese citizens, students and industry insiders said.

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"I used to think politics was far away from me, but this year I really felt the impact of politics on international students," Chicago-based Yao said, declining to give the name of her prospective university.
China had accounted for the biggest international student body in the U.S. for 15 years, until it was overtaken by India last year. The economic impact of Chinese students on the American economy was $14.3 billion in 2023, according to Open Doors data.
But within the United States, the community has been portrayed as a national security threat - likened to spies sent across by the Chinese Communist Party - and threatened with proposed legislation that could bar them from universities.
Reuters spoke to 15 Chinese students, eight of whom were in the U.S., who said the compounded issues have spiked safety concerns and intensified financial constraints, forcing them to rethink their American dream.
Since Trump returned to the White House, more than 4,700 students have been deleted from a U.S. immigration database,...
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