International students from France facing anxiety over Trump's suspension of U.S. visas
The United States Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, has directed embassies and consulates to temporarily suspend scheduling foreign student visa appointments, while new guidelines on social media scrutiny of applicants are developed. These guidelines, due in the coming days, aim to strengthen vetting procedures.
Rubio has also withdrawn visas from students who participated in protests criticizing Israel's actions in Gaza, citing a law that allows removal of individuals perceived to be against U.S. foreign policy interests.
These actions are part of a broader series of unexpected measures taken by the Trump administration in recent months affecting international students. Experts warn that these policies could lead to a decrease in student enrollment in U.S. institutions and potentially trigger a brain drain.
Despite Trump's previous campaign promises to grant automatic U.S. residency cards to international students upon graduation, the current administration's actions have been met with concern by students.
Hadrien Coccoluto-Roussel, a second-year student at Sciences Po Paris, expressed his apprehension, stating, "What worries me most is not so much not having my visa, but that it will be revoked during the year." He added that if he had anticipated a political offensive against foreign students, he would not have selected the U.S. as his destination for his study abroad program, a mandatory part of his course.
The recent developments have also prompted Martin, a student at Essec Business School near Paris, who was accepted to a master's program at Columbia University, to reconsider his plans. Although he harbors a lifelong dream of pursuing the "American Dream," he is now pondering whether he should, in light of recent events. Martin noted his concern over living in a country that seemingly restricts freedom of expression.
Sciences Po is reportedly preparing contingency plans to address the concerns of their students who are affected by the current visa policies.
In 2023, 8,543 French students chose to study in the U.S., representing a 24% increase compared to 1999, according to the Open Doors report by the Institute of International Education (IIE).
Over the past week, the Trump administration has sought to bar all foreign students from Harvard University, giving the institution 30 days to furnish evidence justifying its continued eligibility to host and enroll international students, who comprised 27% of its student body in the 2024-25 academic year.
Meanwhile, Harvard, the wealthiest U.S. university with a $53.2 billion endowment, has faced accusations of being a hotbed of anti-Semitism and "woke" liberal ideology by the Trump administration.
Rubio has also emphasized the need for aggressive visa revocation for Chinese students, including those with connections to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in critical fields. China sent 277,398 students to the U.S. in the 2023-24 academic year, although more Chinese students opted to study in India for the first time, according to a State Department-backed IIE report.
In response to the uncertainty, international schools and organizations are formulating contingency plans. Jean-Bernard Adrey, director of TJ Global Services, has advised his contacts not to panic for the time being, reassuring them that there is still time before the start of the next academic year in the U.S., and expressing hope that the issue will be resolved by then.
The French Minister of Higher Education, Philippe Baptiste, has also pledged "fallback solutions" for those unable to obtain a U.S. visa for their planned studies in the upcoming year.
In a positive development, U.S. judge Allison Burroughs announced on May 30 that she would issue a preliminary injunction offering some protection for international students while their legal situation is evaluated by the courts.
- Marco Rubio, the United States Secretary of State, has temporarily suspended foreign student visa appointments, aiming to develop new guidelines on social media scrutiny.
- Rubio also withdrew visas from students who participated in protests critical of Israel's actions in Gaza.
- Experts warn that these policies could lead to a decrease in student enrollment and potentially trigger a brain drain in U.S. institutions.
- Hadrien Coccoluto-Roussel, a second-year student at Sciences Po Paris, expressed concern about the potential revocation of his visa during the year.
- Martin, a student at Essec Business School near Paris, is reconsidering his plans to study at Columbia University due to recent events.
- In 2023, 8,543 French students chose to study in the U.S., representing a 24% increase compared to 1999.
- Harvard University is facing accusations of anti-Semitism and "woke" liberal ideology by the Trump administration.
- Jean-Bernard Adrey, director of TJ Global Services, advises his contacts not to panic and hopes the issue will be resolved before the start of the next academic year in the U.S.
