As he finishes college in China, computer science student Ma Tianyu has set his sights on graduate school in the United States. No country offers better programs for the career he wants as a game developer, he said.
He applied only to U.S. schools and was accepted by some. But after the initial excitement, he began seeing reasons for doubt.
First, there was President Donald Trump's trade war with China. Then, China's Ministry of Education issued a warning about studying in America. When he saw the wave of legal status terminations for international students in the U.S., he realized he needed to consider how American politics could affect him.
The recent developments soured some of his classmates on studying in the U.S., but he plans to come anyway. He is ready "to adapt to whatever changes may come," he said.
American universities , home to many programs at the top of their fields, have long appealed to students around the world hoping to pursue research and get a foothold in the U.S. job market. The durability of that demand faces a test under the Trump administration, which has taken actions that have left international students feeling vulnerable and considering alternate places to study.