The interest of Hessian students in staying in the USA is decreasing. The Hessian universities cite the political situation in the USA as the main reason, but also uncertainties, particularly among students with a migration background. Hesse could benefit from this development.
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00:47 Min.||Conny Bächstädt
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Shift to the right, project stops, savings, layoffs – the cuts at US universities during Donald Trump‘s second presidency also have an impact on Hesse’s universities.
Their cooperation with US universities is sometimes coming under pressure, uncertainties are growing, interest in studying in the USA is falling, as a survey by the German Press Agency shows a year after Trump took office.
135 university collaborations with the USA
Hesse’s Science Minister Timon Gremmels (SPD) considers international cooperation, especially between Europe and America, to be important “in times of tense geopolitics”.
The USA and Hesse have 135 university collaborations. “There are 40 cooperation agreements with our partner state of Wisconsin alone,” says Gremmels.
These relationships need to be further strengthened. “We have global problems to solve; we will only be able to do this if we network excellent research globally. Science thrives on freedom and cooperation,” emphasizes the minister.
The Ministry of Science in Wiesbaden explains the decreased interest in US study stays as part of Hesse’s corresponding state programs with America: “This development had already been apparent since autumn 2024 and again since summer 2025.”
For the academic year 2026/27, a good third fewer Hessian students applied to study in the US states of Wisconsin and Massachusetts than in the application round a year before. Trump has been in power again in Washington since January 2025.
Students with a migration background are particularly insecure
The reasons given by universities for the decreased interest are “in addition to the high cost of living in the USA, the political situation and uncertainties, particularly among students with a migrant background,” explains the Hessian Ministry of Science.
However, interest in studying abroad outside Europe is declining overall, including in China and parts of Latin America. According to the ministry, this may also be linked to a declining offer of German scholarships.
University of Frankfurt: Number of US exchange places exceeds number of applicants
The Goethe University Frankfurt announced: “For the first time, we received fewer applications than places in the first advertisement for our US exchange places and therefore have to advertise a second round of advertisements.”
According to the University of Giessen, uncertainties are clearly discussed in consultations with students interested in studying in the USA – “with regard to the political situation, visa issuance and entry regulations” and especially with students with foreign roots.
All students at the Justus Liebig University of Giessen who are planning to stay abroad in the US in autumn 2025 have received their visas. “However, there were some delays in the application process due to the temporarily suspended issuing of visas in the summer of 2025,” the university adds.
Slow visa issuance is a problem
The University of Kassel also reports that visa issuance has been slow in recent months. In addition, the question of financing a study visit to the USA is “very relevant” for interested parties here.
At the same time, the cooperation with the US partner universities “remains close and trusting. The support for our students on site also continues to be very good,” says the University of Kassel.
Other Hessian universities make similar statements – and confirm the decreased interest in studying abroad in the USA. In addition to the slowdown in issuing visas, the Philipps University of Marburg also points to an examination of personal profiles on social media announced by the USA.
Nevertheless, their exchange students did not report any problems entering the United States of America.
Research exchange is limited
With a view to the USA, the Technical University (TU) of Darmstadt also mentions difficulties for researchers who have long since completed a degree: “Due to the restrictions on issuing visas, travel for some of the TU’s employees is no longer possible for the time being or is associated with a great deal of uncertainty.”
Since many top conferences continue to take place in the USA, “this reduces the visibility of the TU’s research and researchers”.
On top of that, according to the TU Darmstadt, university events were canceled due to a lack of federal funding due to the shutdown, i.e. the week-long closure of the US federal authorities in autumn 2025. “Such uncertainties unfortunately limit cooperation with important partners,” complains the TU.
Limitations in climate research feared
According to the Ministry of Science in Wiesbaden, funding cuts for Hessian-American research projects have so far only occurred sporadically.
“Some research institutions consider restrictions on possible future cooperation projects in areas such as renewable energies or climate research to be possible,” the ministry adds.
More cooperation requests from the USA
But Hesse could also benefit. The University of Frankfurt reports more requests for cooperation from the USA: “The American side clearly emphasizes that they are increasingly looking for European partners willing to cooperate in order to jointly set up (third-party funded) projects in areas in which US government research funding has been reduced.”
For example in climate, conflict, gender and migration research.
The Goethe University Frankfurt expresses the hope for the future that “highly qualified students from other countries who would have previously sought study places/doctoral places in the USA can be made aware of Germany as a science location for English-language MA and PhD programs.”
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hessenschau.de, interest in studying abroad in the USA is declining,
Quelle: hessenschau.de, dpa/lhe