Students at the University of Cambridge who planned to pursue postgraduate studies in the United States are changing their plans after the Trump administration cut billions of dollars of federal funding for American colleges and universities.

These cuts impacted federal organisations, including the National Institutes of Health, the National Endowment for Arts, and the National Endowment for the Humanities, all of which provide funding for academic research at U.S. universities. In response, universities have rolled back hiring and admissions, with some programs rescinding postgraduate acceptances for the 2025–26 academic year or pausing graduate admissions altogether.

Several students told Varsity that they’ve reconsidered plans to pursue postgraduate studies in the U.S. in light of the situation.

Fitz, a second-year Philosophy undergraduate, said that before the 2024 election, he was strongly considering a Master’s degree in the States. “Places like Yale or Harvard looked particularly attractive as their philosophy courses are some of the best in the world,” he said.

However, amid what he describes as “the clamp down on vocal student activists,” Fitz is no longer considering applying to Harvard or Yale. “I am concerned by the blatant disregard the government has shown towards the judiciary and due process,” he continued.

A History undergraduate who spoke to Varsity echoed Fitz’s concerns. This student, who grew up in the U.S. before matriculating at Cambridge, said he planned to pursue postgraduate study in the U.K. prior to Trump’s election but now plans to settle abroad permanently. He said: “It’s less to do with funding for me, and much more that I am unsure I can see a future for myself in America, at least as things stand now.”

He pointed to “a vast and indiscriminate crackdown on government scientific research” and threats to judges involved in legal cases against Trump as “obvious acts of totalitarian thuggery”.

Jack, who came to Cambridge from America to pursue an MPhil in Politics, had already applied to continue his degree into a PhD when Trump took office, but he said the 2024 election reaffirmed his decision to continue studying outside the U.S.

He said: “What I’m planning to do for my PhD is incredibly reliant on international voices. So when we see things coming out of the Department of Education blocking places like Harvard from educating international students, that kind of thing would have a direct impact on the quality of my research.” Jack, too, is now more strongly considering a career abroad, rather than back in the U.S.

Like Jack, Fitz’s plans to study in the United States have been postponed indefinitely. He fears “the growing political polarisation of Americans and the dominance of far right nationalism,” which he says would make it “difficult… to feel safe living in the States for a year”.

In the last few months, there has been a rise in hostility between the federal government and American universities. Immigration Customs Enforcement has arrested a pro-Palestinian student activist in seeming retaliation for writing an op-ed and has detained the Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil, a recent Columbia graduate and Green Card holder, without warrant or charge, among other actions targeting students.

On the institutional level, The Trump administration revoked Harvard’s right to enrol international students and forced administrative changes at Columbia. Budget cuts and challenges to universities seem set to continue.

Gina Miller, a candidate for University Chancellor, told Varsity that she believes the turmoil presents an opportunity for the University.

In particular, she claims that the University needs to capitalise on welcoming “the disaffected talent” in the US President Trump’s move to block Harvard from admitting international students. On this move, Miller expressed surprise at “how quiet” Cambridge have been on Trump’s policies, claiming that a lack of support for student currently holding Masters offers in the US is “short sighted”.