For years, the US has been one of the world’s top destinations for higher education, welcoming students from all over the world; it has been argued that the US-particular version of higher education, “Liberal Arts,” is one of the country’s finest “products,” and international demand would support this claim.
The attraction of US colleges and Universities means a significant influx of students and funds (to the tune of $44.7 billion in 2018—see Explainer: What 1.1 Million foreign Students Contribute to the U.S. Economy) into the US economy, all of which leads to increased employment and the financial health of the education sector; needless to say, COVID 19 has thrown a monkey wrench in all of this, what with schools going online, students deferring admission in hopes of later being able to partake of education in-person, and many families being forced to reconsider the high cost of colleges of choice.
Additionally, travel restrictions have meant that international student access to US institutions has been more difficult, and this is now combined with a backlog of visa requests. With many visa offices closed for at least part of the pandemic, processing of requests was delayed and has not yet caught up. As a result, many colleges and universities enter another school year with concern over both the financial and cultural loss to their institutions if international students cannot attend.
Bennett International Education Consultancy works directly with hundreds of families each year across the globe. We support families by helping them make informed decisions about the best-fit schools for their children; with our guidance, they secure placement in preschools, private day schools, public/state schools, boarding schools, colleges & universities, including schools with particular programs, such as special needs support.