Why American Students Are Looking Outward And What Their Online Voices Tell Us

A Reflection From The CEO Of Voyage On Our Newest Co-Branded US Outbound Mobility Report With Acumen.

We’re proud to share the release of our co-branded US Outbound Mobility Report, produced in partnership with Acumen.

By combining Acumen's on-the-ground US market expertise with real-time social listening from Voyage’s Social Source platform, we’ve uncovered trends that reveal a very different story about US student mobility than previous years.

American Students Are Thinking Globally, And It Shows Online

American students have always been curious about the world. But the conversations we’re seeing today are more intense, emotional, and urgent than ever before.

Across thousands of online posts, comments, forums, and social channels, several trends now dominate:

1. Political Concerns Surpass Cost as the Top Driver of Study Abroad Decisions

Mentions related to domestic political uncertainty grew +287%, overtaking affordability as the main factor pushing students overseas. Students are openly asking whether the US system can provide stability, safety, and academic freedom in the years ahead.

2. Conversations About Studying Abroad Are Surging

Student-voice content nearly doubled (+98.9%) on a weekly basis following the 2024–25 election cycle. Discussions now focus on academic freedom, safety, campus climate, and affordability, showing that studying abroad is no longer just a financial choice.

3. Cost Is No Longer the Only Practical Consideration

Before the election, tuition dominated the conversation. Now, students weigh safety, quality of life, healthcare, public transit, social inclusion, and wellbeing alongside cost when comparing destinations.

4. Students Seek Stability Abroad, Emotionally and Academically

From Germany and the UK to Australia, Canada, and New Zealand, students describe overseas study as a path to:

• More predictable policies

• Inclusive academic environments

• Three-year bachelor’s or one-year master’s programs

• Safer campus experiences

• Clear post-study work opportunities

These reflections are deeply personal and reveal what students truly value in destinations for study abroad.

Why Social Listening Matters More Than Ever

The Social Source platform captures what students actually say, not what we assume they think. This report shows:

• Sadness and fear became dominant emotional tones after the US election, with sadness accounting for 37% of all mentions

• Students actively compare political systems, academic freedoms, and safety conditions across countries

• Cost still matters, but belonging and wellbeing have become top priorities

By analysing millions of student-voice data points across Reddit, niche forums, and social platforms, we can detect emerging push and pull factors for outbound US students months before official statistics are published.

What Universities, Governments, and Sector Leaders Should Know

The shift in American students studying abroad reflects a redirection of student sentiment driven by:

• Rising domestic tuition fees

• Safety and wellbeing concerns

• Socio-political uncertainty

• Interest in faster, more specialised degrees

• Desire for international experience and global career mobility

Countries and institutions that want to attract US students overseas must respond not only to market facts but also to the emotions and priorities shaping decisions. Real-time social intelligence provides this competitive advantage.

A Partnership Built on Complementary Strengths

This report was made possible through a truly collaborative effort with Acumen, who bring decades of on-the-ground experience across the US market.

Voyage contributed the real-time sentiment layer, the unfiltered voice of the student, while Acumen contributed qualitative insights from direct outreach, counseling trends, and application behaviours.

Together, we’ve created a clearer, fuller picture of the US outbound landscape than either could have produced alone.

Why This Matters to Me Personally

As an American now leading a global education insights company, this report hits close to home. The data reflects conversations I’ve had with friends, family, and colleagues - people who love the US deeply but are increasingly questioning what the future of higher education and safety looks like.

For many, studying abroad is a search for stability, belonging, and opportunity. Paying attention to student voices offers early signals of the future of mobility, talent flow, and global education.

The World Is Listening. We Should Too.

The US outbound market is undergoing one of its most consequential shifts in a generation, not because of recruitment campaigns or new scholarships, but because American students are signalling, loudly and emotionally, what they value most.
Their voices are the leading indicator.

And with tools like The Social Source, the sector finally has a way to listen deeply, continuously, and globally.

If you would like a walkthrough of the report or want to explore what The Social Source can surface for your own recruitment or policy planning, my team and I would be happy to connect.

Matthew Donlon
CEO, Voyage