Genevieve Smith spent her summer compiling an application to study at a university in the Netherlands – a vague goal now solidified, she says, due to rising costs and political turmoil in the U.S. The California-based student spent two years studying at Santa Rosa Junior College after graduating high school, all the while plotting her next steps to complete her higher education.

At the top of her list was affordability. The 19-year-old said she had initially considered attending UC Santa Cruz, but after reviewing the costs and not exactly knowing what she wanted to do, she decided to live at home, study and save money. After the 2024 election, she said, she began to worry about her safety and that of her friends in the U.S.

She decided to leap. Smith searched for four-year colleges abroa

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