International Education news continues to be dominated by the seemingly endless wait for a final decision on the Duration of Status changes. Over 30,000 comments were sent in and are assumed to be under review at this time. ISSS, international admissions, and ESL offices around the country are preparing for the proposed changes, which would take effect in August (or 60 days after announced) if finalized. The proposed changes would only allow students to remain in the US for the dates of their I-20 program, would shorten the grace period from 60 to 30 days, and would essentially require students to return to their home country in order to extend their program, start a new program, or transfer to a new school. The impact of these changes on the international education workflow is immeasurable, and the time and energy that staff are having to spend on their “just in case” plans is inevitably taking away from non-essential task items like student support and programming. (NAFSA.org)
Of course, dominating all major news headlines since the end of February has been the US strikes on Iran. Students studying in the Middle East are feeling the impact of the conflict, both emotionally and logistically, as class schedules and exams are postponed or canceled (The Pie News). On the other side of the world, though, middle eastern students studying in the US are faced with a heightened sense of fear and uncertainty for their family members (USC Annenberg). Acts of violence abroad can often lead to international students losing financial security, access to family support, and a sense of stability. These losses may only be compounded when the US is also involved in the conflict while the students are studying here.
Perhaps related (or perhaps not), a report from QS anticipates a slow decline of international students coming to the US, marked especially by a turn down of Indian students. Last year, the number of graduate international students fell by 3%, and the report expects Indian student numbers to drop by 7% by 2030–citing a lack of post-graduate work mobility options in the US due to changes from the current administration (The Pie News).
And, to end on a positive note, amidst a whirlwind of administrative changes and funding cuts to global programs, the 100-year-old Rotary Youth Exchange remains a strong pillar in the storm thanks to its unique funding model. Rather than being beholden to the government’s allocations, the Rotary program runs primarily on “donations and volunteers at its over 45,000 clubs. Out of those clubs, nearly 4,000 are involved in exchange programs. Although some participants were impacted by the visa pauses, the program continues to run well, with high interest and high participation–including from volunteer host families (The Pie News).
From our world to yours, that’s the latest from international education this month.
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