The United States is losing some of its appeal among international students, with concerns over visa uncertainty, safety and the country s image as a welcoming destination affecting student interest, according to a new survey. The latest Navitas Agent Percepti The United States is losing some of its appeal among international students, with concerns over visa uncertainty, safety and the country s image as a welcoming destination affecting student...
The United States is losing some of its appeal among international students, with concerns over visa uncertainty, safety and the country’s image as a welcoming destination affecting student interest, according to a new survey.
The latest Navitas Agent Perception Survey, conducted in May 2026, gathered responses from 870 education agents across 64 countries.
It found that the US is trailing several competing study destinations when it comes to student interest and perceptions around safety and visa processing.
Only 38% of respondents said interest in studying in the US had increased over the previous two months. That was the lowest among five major study destinations covered in the comparison.
New Zealand led with 80%, followed by Australia at 75%, the UK at 64% and Canada at 60%.
US Scores Poorly on Safety and Welcoming Image
The survey also showed weak perceptions of the US as a safe and welcoming country for international students.
Only 31% of respondents said the US reputation as a safe and stable destination had improved, while just 28% felt its image as an open and welcoming country had improved.
By comparison, New Zealand scored 88% on both measures. Germany recorded 78% for safety and 77% for openness, while Australia scored 77% and 63%, respectively.
Visa uncertainty appears to be another major concern.
The US received an average positive rating of only 25.3% across visa-processing measures, the lowest among the countries surveyed.
The UK led with 74.1%, followed by New Zealand at 64.8%, Australia at 47.2% and Canada at 36.5%.
Only 26% of respondents rated US visa acceptance rates positively, while 39.6% were positive about processing time. Predictability received a positive rating from just 20.5%, while only 15% were satisfied with the clarity of visa rejection reasons.
The findings come at a time when the US has increased scrutiny of student and exchange visitor visa applicants. F, M and J visa applicants are subject to online-presence reviews, and most non-immigrant visa applicants generally need to attend in-person interviews unless they qualify for exemptions.
Strong Students May Choose Other Countries
The survey suggests that visa uncertainty could also drive high-quality students away from the US.
Around 80% of education agents agreed that lower visa acceptance rates could discourage even genuine and well-qualified students from applying.
Another 76% said students with strong academic and financial backgrounds are more likely to choose countries offering greater visa certainty.
South Asian Students Focus on Cost and Work Rights
For students from South Asia, cost remains the biggest factor while choosing a study destination.
Around 80% of agents from the region identified study and living costs as important, followed by post-study work rights at 75%, opportunities to work while studying at 60% and visa access and processing at 55%.
The survey, however, provides figures for South Asia as a whole and does not separately break them down for Indian students.
Globally, 82% of respondents said cost was an important factor, while 61% cited post-study work rights, 54% quality of education, 52% safety and security and 49% opportunities for permanent migration.
The findings indicate that the US can no longer depend only on its university reputation to attract international students.
With countries such as New Zealand, Australia and the UK improving their image on safety, visa certainty and student friendliness, prospective students now have more options — and appear increasingly willing to use them.
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