Biden-Harris‌ ‌Foreign‌ ‌Policy‌ ‌Creates‌ ‌Opportunity‌ ‌for‌ ‌International‌ ‌Students‌ ‌in‌ ‌the‌ ‌US‌

International education has taken a hit globally with traditionally popular locations like the UK, Canada, Australia, and the US seeing as much as a 25% decline in enrollments. The decrease of international student enrollment in US schools in large part can be traced back to foreign policies enacted by the previous Presidential Administration. Foreign policies under this administration restricted access to visas and created more hurdles for international students interested in studying abroad in the US. The most notable restriction was the travel ban on students from predominantly Muslim nations and Mainland China. In contrast, President Joe Biden’s approach to foreign policy promises to remove many barriers for international students. This approach could spell increased enrollments for many US based international programs.  ‌

Here‌ ‌is‌ ‌what‌ ‌we‌ ‌can‌ ‌expect‌ ‌from‌ ‌Foreign‌ ‌Policy‌ ‌in‌ ‌the‌ ‌Biden‌ ‌Administration:‌ ‌

Relationships First

Biden seeks to restore international relationships neglected and damaged by the previous administration. The US’s welcoming persona was tarnished over the last four years with the “America First” doctrine; however, Biden plans to ensure that international students have the opportunity to study in the US by reminding schools and universities to preserve preferences for diversity saying, “These preferences are essential to preserving a robust and vibrant immigration system.” President Biden emphasized the important role our international population plays by contributing to the global conversation; and ensuring the US has a competitive place on the world stage. The Biden Administration is set to restore relationships with the European Union and repair relationships with NATO, as well. 

Visa Reform

Biden has plans to attract the world’s best and brightest back to American schools by expanding the number of high-skilled visas, and plans to repeal travel bans creating a more hospitable environment for international student visas to be approved. 

Clear Path to Citizenship

According to “Study International” and “Voice of America News”, Biden has mentioned his support of foreign graduates of US doctoral programs receiving a green card with their degree in an effort to retain talent and increase economic competitiveness. This would relieve the fear of some students who would seek permanent employment in the US, a commonly sighted reason that international students choose to study elsewhere, according to the Institute for International Education. Additionally, Biden plans to remedy the backlog of applicants by removing unreasonable application fees and redundancies in the paperwork process in hopes of creating a more efficient citizenship process that will attract and entice those holding advanced degrees from US universities to stay in the US. 

The Biden Administration approach to foreign policy could be the relief that the international education community needs with a focus on diversity, rebuilding international relationships, removing barriers to citizenship, and easing restrictions on visa approval all leading to an increase in opportunity and enrollment for international education programs in the US.