International students looking to study in the U.S. are facing mixed messages from the Trump administration.
Just days after President Trump emphasized the importance of welcoming Chinese students, his administration suggested new regulations that would extend the time required to earn a degree to four years, alongside a mandate for special approval to remain in the country longer.
A representative from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) stated, “For too long, previous administrations allowed foreign students and other visa holders to stay in the United States almost indefinitely, which presents a safety risk, strains taxpayer resources, and disadvantages U.S. citizens.”
Yet, many of the hundreds of thousands of foreign students currently studying in the U.S. are graduate students and have already completed their PhDs. Some are enrolled in programs that last up to eight years.
Experts express concerns that the new approval process may not run smoothly.
Trump has made revisions to student visas a key focus of his immigration policy, with the State Department revealing that over 6,000 visas have been revoked since he assumed office. Additionally, foreign students are now subject to new screening measures, alongside the anxiety generated by social media fears.
To stay in the U.S. for an extended period, international students will now need to seek re-approval from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS).
The issue is that USCIS is already facing delays, and any backlog could jeopardize students’ educational plans.
“If USCIS had the right resources to efficiently process these approvals, it wouldn’t be such a crisis. But this policy seems to compound the existing backlog,” a concerned party stated.
They sought further comments from DHS.
Previous supporters of the administration have questioned its claims about widespread abuse linked to allowing students to apply once.
“We reviewed the rules and their justification, and they noted around 2,100 individuals remained active in F-1 status from 2000 to 2010,” one expert remarked.
“To impose new constraints on 99.93% of international students—doesn’t seem well thought out. It feels more like a justification than a reasoned response,” they added.
The proposed rules contribute to an already confusing landscape, especially after Trump reiterated last week that Chinese students are still welcome.
“We’ve heard stories saying students won’t be allowed,” he noted last Monday. “We do allow students to come. It’s crucial—600,000 students. It’s very important.”
China has been a leading source of foreign students in the U.S., yet only about 277,000 Chinese students arrived between 2023 and 2024. In a recent interview, Trump mentioned the 600,000 figure in a context discussing trends over a two-year span.
His earlier comments were met with skepticism, particularly after Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick stated, “The bottom 15% of universities in the U.S. could shut down.”
“It’s a concern raised by the Brown Center for Educational Policy,” said Michael Hansen from the Brookings Institution.
“On one hand, they convey a desire for international students, while Trump’s campaign discussed providing green cards to graduates with U.S. degrees to retain them. On the other hand, there are moves that seem to unfairly restrict student visa holders,” he added.
Supporters argue that these policies could ultimately harm U.S. interests in higher education and negatively affect the local economy.
“Using international students as geopolitical tools sends a deeply troubling message to both current and prospective students, undermining global confidence in the U.S. as a reliable and inviting place to study, work, and invest,” asserted the President’s Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration.
