What Does the Russian Invasion of Ukraine Mean for International Students?

The last five or six years have been difficult – some might say turbulent – for foreign students who wanted to pursue college and postgraduate studies at American colleges and universities. Under the Trump administration’s travel restrictions, students from a number of countries decided to curtail their plans to study in America.

Colleges and universities suffered too when foreign students stayed away. This was the case at large research-oriented universities. We also know one smaller liberal arts college that lost tuition revenue when virtually all its foreign students left. We are not sharing the name of that college in this article because we do not want our comments to reflect negatively on it.

What Will Happen to Ukrainian Students Now Studying in the U.S.?

There are many questions. Will the United States extend the amount of time they can remain here to complete their studies under their student Visas, or after they graduate? If these young scholars are unable to return home to Ukraine, how will they afford to remain here? Who will support them?

What Is Happening with Ukrainian Students Studying in the United States and Elsewhere?

And how many Ukrainians are currently studying at American colleges and universities? Here are some statistics.

1,739 students from Ukraine are currently studying at American colleges and universities. Source
77,424 Ukrainian students in 2017-2018 were studying at colleges and universities not located in Ukraine. Source

More Pertinent Statistics You Should Know

80,000 foreign students are currently enrolled in Ukrainian colleges and universities. Programs of study have been shut down and students who were not able to leave Ukraine before the Russian invasion are stranded in the country while the war continues. Source
4,800 Russian students are currently enrolled in U.S. colleges and universities. Source
394 U.S. students studied in Russia during the 2019-2020 academic year. Source

We feel deeply worried about the safety of all Ukrainians today. We feel deeply troubled by the plight of young Ukrainian students who only want to advance their studies and, like all students everywhere, lead productive lives. Why must these people suffer?

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