EC Higher Education has announced a partnership with the University of Hartford in the US to develop a pathway program for international students.

The Trump administration is reportedly floating cuts to the J-1 visa route that may see reductions in the number of people from overseas coming to the US for seasonal work and exchanges. This includes the summer work travel program and the au pair program.

The latest Soft Power 30 rankings have shown France’s ascent to the leading position knocking the US down to the third slot and reflecting a global preference for outward looking, business-friendly politics. The UK retained its second place position, but not without its global reputation taking a hit after the Brexit vote.

The number of international students in the US topped 1.18 million in May this year, SEVIS data shows. Nepalese students enrolments climbed 18% in the last year, a growth rate outstripping the 2% increase in total international student numbers.

One in five students using a commission-based agent to apply to a US higher education institution pays more than $1,000 for their services, according to a survey by World Education Services.

Fortifying higher education links is crucial at a time when "tensions between the two countries are at the highest point in decades", the American Council on Education has said.

Duolingo's English Test is becoming a fast and cost effective alternative to traditional English proficiency exams in university admissions.

Four in 10 educational institutions in the US have reported a decrease in the number of international applicants for the fall 2017 intake, according to responses from an inter-associational survey.