Canada has once again ranked as the most desired destination for international students in 2025, according to ApplyBoard’s latest global survey. But behind the headlines, a growing trend is reshaping student flows—an increasing number of American students are now looking north amid restrictive policies under the renewed Trump administration.
While Canada’s overall popularity remains strong—garnering 94% interest from surveyed students—the story gaining momentum is the wave of interest from the United States. Canadian universities are reporting a significant uptick in applications and web traffic from American students, many of whom are responding to tightening visa policies and increased surveillance in the U.S.
The University of Toronto noted a meaningful increase in U.S. applications ahead of its January deadline for the 2025–26 academic year. The University of Waterloo has seen a similar trend, with U.S.-based traffic to its website up 15% since September 2024. Faculties like engineering and computer science are leading the surge in interest.
UBC Vancouver stands out with a 27% jump in graduate program applications from U.S. students, as of March 2025. The school is now fast-tracking American applicants, citing growing concerns among U.S. students about visa revocations and the monitoring of foreign students’ social media accounts by U.S. authorities.
Despite Canada’s federal cap on international study permits—reduced to 437,000 for 2025 from 517,410 in 2024—interest remains strong. In fact, the tighter limits are seen by many students as enhancing the prestige of Canadian education and improving post-graduation job prospects.
As U.S. policies create uncertainty, Canada is increasingly viewed as a stable, welcoming alternative. Whether this interest from American students continues to grow will depend on the evolving political climate south of the border—but for now, Canadian universities are capitalizing on the shift.
