canadian art schools nscad enrollment application growth

NSCAD University (Nova Scotia College of Art and Design) in Halifax has reported a dramatic surge in applications and acceptances from US-based students for fall 2025, driven by tightening US immigration policies under the Trump administration. Undergraduate applications from the US spiked 220%, acceptances rose 186%, and student responses increased 66%, with interest coming from 23 different states. NSCAD president Jana Macalik noted that student feedback cited concerns over trans rights, disability, same-sex marriage, and women's freedoms as motivating factors. Similar trends are being seen at other Canadian institutions like the University of Toronto, University of British Columbia, and Alberta University of the Arts.