Nearly two-thirds of international students would have a worse perception of the US as a study destination if the White House revives the travel bans introduced during Donald Trump¡¯s previous term in office, according to new research.?

Under his first administration, Trump?banned individuals from six Muslim-majority countries?from entering the US. The current government was thought to be preparing to reinstate a similar ban.??

International education company IDP warned against the policy following a survey of 1,000 students from 43 countries, in which the majority said their perceptions of the US as a ¡°welcoming¡± place to study would worsen if such bans were implemented again.

Responses varied depending on where the students were from. If bans go ahead, 27 per cent of Chinese respondents and 23 per cent of Pakistani respondents indicated they would no longer consider studying in the US.

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Overall, perceptions of the US as a study destination appear to have improved?among some international students since the presidential race last year that saw Donald Trump re-elected, with?52 per cent of respondents indicating that their perception of the US had improved, and 26 per cent of respondents saying their view of studying in the US had declined.?

The results?varied significantly by location, with some regions showing more enthusiasm than others.?In China, 27 per cent of students reported an improved perception, while this figure reached 64 per cent in Bangladesh and 48 per cent in India.?

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Respondents to the survey, which was conducted between January and February 2025, said the quality of education was the most significant factor attracting them to the US, followed by the availability of scholarships and financial aid.?Some students also believed that economic stability, the safety of citizens and visitors, and future career prospects in the US will improve under the new government.

According to Simon Emmett, chief partner officer at IDP Education, the US was ¡°benefiting¡± from changing immigration policies in other popular student destinations including the?UK?and?ߣߣÊÓƵ.?

¡°As other markets become more unpredictable, international students are more willing to invest in the high-quality and reputable education available in the US,¡± he said. ¡°Given this, there¡¯s an opportunity for the US international education community to come together and highlight the wealth of opportunities available to students in the market.¡±

Emmett said he hoped the US government would listen to the findings, describing the research as ¡°crucial for advocacy¡±.

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helen.packer@timeshighereducation.com