The number of U.S. applicants have been on the rise at Algonquin.
Since 2015, when the college only had 16 U.S. applicants, the Americans’ interest in Algonquin has increased. The question is not just how many new American students could we have, but why?
Nadia Ramseier, marketing manager for the international student recruitment -international education centre, surveyed the American students who applied in 2015, asking them the reason for their move to Canada. The respondents indicated that they had either a boyfriend or girlfriend living in Ottawa and wanted to move here to be with them.
As of recently, however, “the number of American applicants have nearly doubled,” said Ramseier.
America has always been in the top 10 list of countries that apply to Algonquin, receiving 10 to 30 applicants. But in the last three months there has been a significant increase in interest from the Americans.
The decline of the Canadian dollar may be the reason for American interest, but there was a noticeable jump between Nov. 8 and 9 of 2016 — Nov. 8 being the U.S. election day.
With the applications nearly doubling, there is no guarantee that there will be double the number of American students attending Algonquin in fall 2017. The American student age demographic applying to Algonquin ranges between 12–35 years old.
“It is easier for them to move here as a student first to gain credentials and get study and work permits,” said Ramseier. “I’m looking forward to seeing if it translates into more American students.”