Space if you are consolidating as One of the main destinations for Latin American students seeking to pursue higher studies abroadin an international context marked by the hardening of migration policies promoted by the administration of Donald Trump In the United States.
For decades, the United States was the first academic option for many Latin American young people due to their university prestige. However, the High cost of lifeand more and more adverse political climate and the new bureaucratic obstacles They have caused a change of course to Europe, with Spain at the head.
“They accepted me at a university in the United States, but the treatment of migrants and high costs made me opt for Spain,” he tells Efe Bárbara Becerraa 25 -year -old Mexican who studies at the CEU San Pablo University in Madrid.
The change is not accidental. Trump’s decisions, such as , where they represent 27 % of students, or theirtemporarily pender the issuance of student visa since May 27, They have sown uncertainty among international young people.
One of those affected is Santiago Hurtado23 -year -old Peruvian, has had to pause an exchange planned in the US due to lack of visa. “I have every square, the paid residence (…) The only thing I lacked was the visa”he laments. He considers “very unfair” that students who “legally do” face so many barriers.
“Spectacular academic opportunity” for Spain
Faced with this panorama, Spain emerges as a solid academic alternative: Share languageoffers greater Cultural closeness and a more accessible life cost. According to Victor CortizoDirector of the Degree in International Relations of the Francisco de Vitoria University, the US restrictive immigration policy “It is a spectacular academic opportunity” for Spain, although it clarifies that the arrival of Latin Americans “was already a previous trend”.
In the last decade, The number of foreign students has tripled in master and almost duplicate in grade. According to data from the Funcas Observatory, Spain hosts 30.2% of all Latin American students enrolled in European universities.
The International Rector of IE University, Manuel Muñizemphasize that hardening of visas F-1 and J-1 In the US “it directly affects hundreds of thousands of young people”, pushing them to “look for new destinations.” In IE, 90% of students are international, and more than 20% come from Latin Americaespecially from Mexico, Brazil and Argentina.
In the University of Barcelona, One in three master’s and doctoral students is a foreigner. The Vice Chancellor of Internationalization, Raúl Ramosemphasizes that “the moment is key”, since US migratory restrictions coincide with the admissions period.
“In Europe, with demographic stagnation, Less young people in university age will arriveso there is a clear effort to diversify the origin of students“He adds.
Despite the boom, there are still challenges to be resolved. For bouquets, Non -community students face difficulties to enter public universities due to a Decentralized access exam and complex migratory requirements.
Even so, the balance seems to bow in favor of Spain. With Much lower prices that in the US, where a registration can exceed $ 70,000 annually, and options for Specific scholarships for Latin American talentthe country is emerging as an emerging hub in the collection of students and professionals from the continent.
“My parents always told me that the price in the US was too high”remember Paulina Centurya 22 -year -old Ecuadorian who now studies in Madrid. For her and many others, Spain is not only an alternative, but a new academic promise.
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