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B.C. university says spike in foreign applications may be due to Trump policies

B.C. university sees jump in foreign applications

KAMLOOPS, B.C. — Thompson Rivers University in B.C.'s Interior has been deluged in applications from international students for its summer session, and a spokeswoman for the institution credits the policies of U.S. President Donald Trump.

Baihua Chadwick, vice-president of TRU World, the wing responsible for international students, says the  Kamloops-based institution has received 500 applications from India this year, five times the number submitted last year.

Chadwick says the surge from India is just one example, and she believes changes in travel policies south of the border are responsible.

Traditionally, American universities are the most popular choices for foreign students, but Chadwick says many students and their parents are telling her they no longer feel safe or comfortable with a U.S. destination.

International students must obtain visas to study in Canada.

Chadwick says those regulations could prevent as many as half of prospective students from attending classes in Kamloops this summer. (CHNL)  

The Canadian Press