International director: Exchange is largely unaffected by the situation in the US – only a few AU students have cancelled their exchange
Trump’s actions targeting American universities and the uncertainty surrounding entry into the US have caused concern among a few students preparing for exchange stays. Only a few have chosen to cancel. In general, the situation has not affected the exchange of students between AU and American universities, International Director Rikke Nielsen explains.
US President Donald Trump's pressure on American universities and the accompanying uncertainty about the situation in the US has made few students at Danish universities regret choosing the US as their exchange destination.
Most recently, a student at Copenhagen Business School told Danish newspaper Politiken that she had cancelled her exchange at a university in Boston, USA, in favour of attending one in Seoul, South Korea instead. Among other reasons, she no longer wants to go to the US after Trump’s directive for universities to eliminate DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) programmes, as well as reports that authorities may search private messages on phones and computers upon entry.
AU Student Administration and Services is only slightly affected by the situation in the US in terms of cancellations of exchange programmes, says Rikke Nielsen, International Director at AU. She explains that AU is following the situation closely. But technically speaking, nothing has changed for AU students who want to study abroad in the US, nor for American students who want to study abroad at AU.
AU receives few enquiries from worried students who are going on an exchange programme at an American university.
"The dialogue we've had with students has been about the uncertainty of entering the country and the political situation," Rikke Nielsen says.
Few students have chosen to cancel their exchange in the US for this reason. It is not uncommon for some students to cancel their exchange programme, Rikke Nielsen says. However, it’s usually due to other reasons. According to Weekendavisen, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has generally seen an increase in the number of "concerned enquiries about entering and staying in the US.”
42 students are going to the US
42 AU students are going to the US in autumn 2025 and spring 2026, which is similar to the previous years, Rikke Nielsen says.
Rikke Nielsen emphasises that the rules for entering the US have not changed, but that the country now seems to be enforcing some elements to a greater extent.
“Our experience is that students feel confident about going to the US. We've been in contact with students who are currently on exchange in the US and they all say they're having a great time. It can be stories in the press that cause uncertainty," says Rikke Nielsen.
Students going on exchange programmes within the next year made their choice in December last year. That was before Donald Trump became President.
According to Politiken, due to developments in the US, the Technical University of Denmark has given students the opportunity to cancel their upcoming exchange in the US this autumn. 3 out of 101 students have chosen to change countries, according to the newspaper. At Copenhagen Business School, "a few" have cancelled their autumn exchange in the US.
This text is machine translated and post-edited by Cecillia Jensen.