Article

SEPT 24, 2004
Students flocking to US universities again

Fading terrorism fears, the economic upturn and a shorter wait for student visas have resulted in a four-year peak

By Sandra Davie

SINGAPORE students are heading back to American universities in droves, encouraged by the economic upturn and shorter wait for student visas.

Between last October and August this year, 1,695 student visas were issued, the most in four years.

Before the Sept 11 terrorist attacks in the US in 2001, 1,657 visas were issued.

After the attacks, the number fell to 1,451 in 2002, but it climbed between October 2002 and September 2003 to 1,602, said the US embassy here.

The increase bucks the trend in many other countries whose students face strict visa rules aimed at keeping terrorists out of the US.

Figures are unavailable for undergraduate studies, but applications to US graduate schools reportedly fell by 32 per cent this year.

However, for Singapore, embassy officials have streamlined the application process, reducing the wait for a student visa from four to about two weeks.

The economic upturn is another factor, said Miss Karen Kaylor, director of the US Education Information Centre here. Inquiries nowadays centre on fees and living costs in the US.

No more is she asked about safety measures at US campuses, an overriding worry immediately after the Sept 11 attacks, she said.

American Ambassador to Singapore, Mr Frank Lavin, believes the large numbers heading West are drawn partly by that 'distinct US experience' the universities provide.

'At some point in your life, you may end up working for a US company or have a US client.

'Having that US grounding is somewhat of a life skill,' he said.

More US colleges coming here to recruit is also an impetus. He estimates that up to 200 American universities head here every year.

Miss Kaylor said 55 per cent of the Singapore students are enrolled in 20 US universities, which include Ivy League institutions.

Singapore students collecting brochures on US universities at her information centre also said their worries about terrorist attacks in the US were fading. Said Miss S. Shamira, 20, who completed her A levels last year: 'I wanted to go last year, but my parents kept telling me to wait because they were not sure how safe America was.

'They have now put aside their worries and I'm going next year.'

For polytechnic graduate Terence Tan, 25, it was the economic uncertainity that delayed his plans.

'My dad's business wasn't too good, so I had to put them on hold,' he said.

It is not clear if the economic upturn has also led to an increase in the number of Singaporeans heading to the other two popular overseas study destinations - Britain and Australia.

The education promotion agencies for these two countries said student visa figures were not available for them to assess if there is a similar upward trend, as in the case of the US.

Between 1,000 and 1,200 Singaporeans head for British universities every year. For Australia, the estimate is 3,000 a year.

---

Copyright @ 2004 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.