Different university leaders are really worried about immigration issues. Leaders at the 4 main universities were concerned about the drop in international students. They think that strict US immigration rules are responsible for it.
Recent reports suggest that these concerns are true and valid. It is very difficult for students of any nation to get a United States visa. Furthermore, a 2023 report from the Presidents’ Alliance and Shorelight revealed many realities. According to him, between 2015 and 2022, the number of international student visa denials in the United States went up a lot.
Africa suffered a lot because its students had the highest denial rates. About 52% of students’ applications were rejected between 2018 to 2022. It means approximately 92,000 students were not eligible to come to the United States and continue their studies.
Also, even though more students are being denied visas, the number of visa applications has actually gone down since its peak in 2014 and 2015.
It is important for US colleges and universities to pay attention to rules and regulations about how to handle African students. The number of Youngsters in Africa who want to study abroad. However, the United States continuously rejected their visa application.
According to The New York Times, African youth make up about a quarter of the world’s young people now, and by 2050, this number will increase to a third. If the U.S. doesn’t improve its visa policies, it will struggle to attract these students in the future.
Since 2015, few students from other nations have come to the United States. At the same time, other countries like Canada are seeing more students from abroad. If the US wants to stay competitive then instant action is required. Some also said that US lawmakers should change their rules to make it easier for students to come and stay here.
For example, they have to allow international students to stay in the United States after graduation, rather than only providing they will go home back. Also, it is important to speed up the visa application process. This is the only way that US universities stay in the line of competition. They have to fix the issues.
Just paying attention to federal advocacy might not be enough to change immigration policies. It is crucial for the university leaders to build relationships with state-level officials like governors and state lawmakers. This is because they are closer to local economic issues and can better see how international students prove beneficial for their nation.
For instance, international students earned 35% of STEM master’s degrees and 41% of STEM PhDs in the United States during the 2021–22 academic year. They also earn more than half of the U.S. doctoral degrees in fields such as economics, computer sciences, engineering, and math. One university president said that 70% of the engineering graduate students at his school are international. If policies hurt such a large number of STEM students, it could negatively affect innovation and job creation. State officials can see the impact on their local economies, especially if international students can work in their state through programs like OPT. Since international students help US communities and fit with state leaders’ priorities, advocacy should focus on these state-level lawmakers, not just federal ones.
Nowadays, immigration is a hot topic in the United States. In this climate, it is the best opportunity for the university leader to make a difference. They should use their relationship with state government officials. This action is important to advocate for international students on the federal level. Many university leaders, especially those at public institutions, already meet with state officials regularly. It would be a wise act to discuss the student visa issues in these conversations.
International students often base their decision to study in the US on visa regulations and post-graduation opportunities. By partnering with state governments to address these concerns, universities can better support their international student communities. If they don’t take action, they risk losing out on top global talent, which could harm both their institutions and the overall United States higher education system.
