With the recent rightward trend of American culture and politics, many progressive-minded American high schoolers are looking north of the border for options to pursue higher education.

This trend is especially sharp in the Midwest, where Toronto and Montreal offer proximal, attractive international education options for ambitious teens who want to broaden their horizons beyond the borders – and perhaps stay there afterward. 

“Moving to Canada just made sense,” says Heath Leone, an 18-year-old from a small town in Iowa who recently enrolled at York University just outside of Toronto.

Leone loved the idea of moving to a huge city with cultural influences from all over the world. Like most Americans, he associates Canadian culture with a more tolerant, secular point of view – a point of view that appeals to him. 

“I wanted to be in a bigger city with a more liberal atmosphere compared to where I grew up.”

As for the cost, Leone found that the differences weren’t that substantial.

“The tuition fees for international students were comparable to what I’d pay as a U.S. citizen at an American university, so it didn’t feel like a stretch.”

So the education is relatively affordable, and the global rankings also seem to match up well with American universities, particularly in areas like sustainability.

After considering many Canadian universities, Leone chose York University based on the strength of its biology program and the commitments York has made to environmental responsibility. This year, York University rose to 35th in the world on the Times Higher Education (THE) Impact rankings, based largely on an institution’s demonstrated commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. York was also named one of Canada’s Greenest Employers for the 12th consecutive year.

This celebration of progressive values attracted Leone, and many Americans like him, to enroll at York. He is also attracted by the rapid growth of the relatively-young Canadian university, with a new School of Medicine opening up in 2028 in Vaughan, a Toronto suburb. The school has committed to devoting 70% of its seats to primary care physicians, addressing a critical shortage of family doctors in the province of Ontario. 

As cultural and political divides deepen in the U.S., more high schoolers may seek schools that are open about inclusivity, respecting global perspectives, and offering strong support systems for students. For students like Leone, the decision to study in Canada offers a chance to have a globally connected future. 

“Living here has been transformative,” he reflects. “I feel like I’m growing into a more well-rounded individual.”