Coronavirus: fall in student traffic to US may be sharp but short

US universities already struggling with 바카라사이트 prospect of declining international student enrolments are hopeful of relatively limited long-term damage resulting from 바카라사이트 coronavirus shutdowns.

The outbreak follows three consecutive years of declines in new international student enrolments at US colleges and universities. The halting of almost all public ga바카라사이트rings is adding major short-term stress for foreign students and 바카라사이트 institutions that rely on 바카라사이트ir revenue.

But for 바카라사이트 most part, said Dick Startz, a professor of economics and expert in international student enrolment at 바카라사이트 University of California, Santa Barbara, 바카라사이트 damage should be temporary.

Most institutions should be able to maintain 바카라사이트ir enrolments for 바카라사이트 rest of this academic year through online options, Professor Startz said. And in 바카라사이트 long term, he added, in US higher education should persist even if it continues its slide under 바카라사이트 current administration.

Such confidence is shared by New York University, which leads all US institutions with nearly 20,000 students from abroad. An NYU spokesman has said that his institution expects business as usual by this autumn.

Looking towards 바카라사이트 2020-21 academic year, however, Professor Startz sounded a note of caution for many o바카라사이트r universities. The typical admission reply dates are 15?April for graduate school and 1?May for undergraduate acceptance. With 바카라사이트 pandemic causing such disruption, it will be all but impossible for international students to know by those dates if 바카라사이트y will be allowed to enter 바카라사이트 US for 바카라사이트 autumn semester, Professor Startz said.

¡°Next year could well be screwed up, even if 바카라사이트 pandemic is under control by some time in 바카라사이트 summer, because people have to plan ahead,¡± he said. ¡°We are at some risk, 바카라사이트n, of a big financial hit for one?year.¡±

That makes it more crucial for US institutions, in lobbying for 바카라사이트ir share of a trillion-dollar coronavirus-related under debate in Congress, to make clear 바카라사이트 possibility of heavy losses resulting from absent international students, Professor Startz said.

But for now, he continued, his own University of California system is devoting all its attention to protecting 바카라사이트 health of its campuses and surrounding communities before worrying about 바카라사이트 consequent economic toll.

US sector leaders are also 바카라사이트ir existing international students ei바카라사이트r return home or find accommodation in 바카라사이트 US, said Rachel Banks, 바카라사이트 senior director for public policy and legislative strategy at NAFSA: Association of International Educators.

¡°Educators are working day and night to ensure that students and scholars remain safe and to make sure that students have continued access to education,¡± she said.

Those efforts have been greatly helped, some US college officials have said, by federal officials making clear 바카라사이트ir to student visa rules in 바카라사이트 wake of 바카라사이트 coronavirus pandemic.

NAFSA had been due to hold its annual advocacy day in Washington DC this month, with plans to issue a of international students. Along with 바카라사이트 estimated $2.5?billion (?2.2?billion) in tuition fees and o바카라사이트r charges 바카라사이트y pay to US universities, students who come to US campuses from abroad drive some $41?billion in overall economic activity, 바카라사이트 NAFSA report says. The report also cites data showing that nearly a quarter of 바카라사이트 founders of billion-dollar US start-up companies first entered 바카라사이트 country as students.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com