US Students Flock North for Cheap Tuition

Cash-strapped Americans with their sights set on college see Canada as an affordable alternative to domestic institutions, the Boston Globe reports. Low tuition fees and a stronger US dollar—it’s worth $1.21 in Canada right now—are luring more high school students in the northeast across the border, with the number of Americans attending Canadian universities up by 50% to 9,000 since 2001.

The current exchange rate is “good for American students. They can have a great education at a great value,” said one Canadian recruiter who, like others, is stepping up his efforts to woo international applicants. US students studying abroad are still eligible for federal financial aid back home too. “With the current economic situation, it’s definitely in the back of my mind,” said one prospective student.