The Alliance for International Exchange has released its international educational and cultural exchange policy priorities for the incoming Trump Administration. The Alliance recommends that the new Administration make international exchange programs a part of its policy priorities because of the transformative power of exchanges in advancing America’s economic and national security interests.
The Alliance’s policy priorities paper outlines its recommendations for the incoming Administration, focusing on five key areas of growth and collaboration:
- Policy Priority #1: Support a robust appropriation for Department of State international exchange programs
The Alliance recommends that the Trump Administration prioritize robust funding for Department of State international exchange programs, one of the best returns on investment in the federal budget. At $741 million in FY24, funding for exchanges is only 0.0006% of the federal budget. And 90% of this funding, or ~$660 million, is spent domestically – either on Americans to travel abroad or by international participants while in the U.S. Funding for ECA exchange programs grew by 17% during the first Trump Administration, and the Alliance looks forward to coordinating with the Administration to continue this trend and ensure funding for these critical public diplomacy programs continues.
- Policy Priority #2: Support and expand Department of State BridgeUSA private sector exchange programs
The Alliance recommends that the Trump Administration prioritize the well-being and growth of the State Department’s BridgeUSA private sector exchange programs, also known as “J-1 visa programs.” BridgeUSA programs, all limited-term and non-immigrant, contribute to the success of many aspects of American business, education, and family life. Program participants not only play vital roles in American life, but they also pay their own way and come at no cost to the U.S. taxpayer. In addition, BridgeUSA exchange participants traveling to the U.S. contributed at least $584.6 million to the U.S. economy in 2023 before returning home. The Alliance will release its BridgeUSA Regulatory Policy Agenda at the start of 2025 and looks forward to coordinating with the Administration to move this agenda forward on specific programmatic interests.
- Policy Priority #3: Increase the number of international students studying in the U.S.
The Alliance recommends that the Trump Administration prioritize the growth of international college and university students studying in the U.S. International students contribute to the U.S. economy and create American jobs and having a cadre of U.S.-educated political and business leaders around the world forwards U.S. interests. The Alliance is a founding member of the U.S. for Success Coalition, a group of organizations that seek to achieve this policy goal, which looks forward to working with the Trump Administration to bring more international students to our country for our economic and diplomatic benefit.
- Policy Priority #4: Create more access for American students and young professionals to study and work abroad
The Alliance recommends that the Trump Administration prioritize creating more opportunities for American students and young professionals to study and work abroad to keep pace and achieve reciprocity with many other countries around the world. Only 280,000 American students studied abroad in 2022-23, while more than 1 million international students came to the U.S. Studying, interning, and working abroad should not be viewed as a luxury for young Americans, but rather a necessity. International experience is a crucial component of a 21st century education and vital to building leadership skills; allows Americans to succeed in the modern marketplace; and plays an important role in developing the global mindset needed to balance local and international challenges.
- Policy Priority #5: Ensure effective and secure processing of exchange visitor and international student visas by the Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs
The Alliance recommends that the Trump Administration provide sufficient resources to the Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs. By doing so, the Administration will ensure U.S. consular officers can continue to provide visas to the qualified and fully vetted applicants who bring so much value to our country. A well-resourced Consular Affairs Bureau is able to encourage the continued mobility of non-immigrant exchange participants and international students to the U.S., ensuring we continue to benefit from the economic and diplomatic impact of these programs.
The full policies priority paper is available here, along with a summary one-pager.
The Alliance team would like to thank all those who contributed to these priorities and recommendations. The international educational and cultural exchange community is at its strongest when it comes together as a unified voice to advocate for the continued success and growth of these life-changing programs.
Please contact Mark Overmann at movermann@alliance-exchange.org with any inquiries.