US sees 40% surge in international student interest after midterm elections: Report

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International students’ interest in studying in the US rose 40% in the week after the November 3 midterm elections, according to Studyportals.

International students’ interest in studying in the United States rose 40% in the week following the November 3 midterm elections, according to data from education platform Studyportals, signalling a potential recovery after two years of declining demand.

Relative demand for on-campus study programmes in the US on the Studyportals platform increased on November 8 compared with the same day a week earlier. The rise followed Democratic victories in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, giving the party majorities in both chambers of Congress.

The increase comes at a time when international students have faced uncertainty over US visa policies, work opportunities and their prospects of building careers after graduation.

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According to Studyportals’ November 9 press release, interest in studying in the US had fallen sharply over the preceding two years. Student interest in bachelor’s and master’s programmes declined by 38%, while the platform’s Global Enrolment Benchmark Survey recorded a 19% year-on-year drop in US master’s enrolments in autumn 2025.

Edwin van Rest, CEO and co-founder of Studyportals, said students respond quickly to political developments.

“Students react quickly to political news. This is good news for both domestic as international students, American universities, and for entrepreneurship and industries facing severe talent shortages,” van Rest said.

He added that the challenge was now to convert the renewed interest into applications, appropriate visas and enrolments.

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