Trump effect: Visa hurdles, scrutiny may defer Indian students' US dream

The Donald Trump administration’s move to potentially ask all foreign students applying to study in the United States (US) to undergo social-media vetting is likely to trigger uncertainty among Indian students. It could even force thousands of them to reconsider their plans for higher education in the US, warn education experts. 

According to a report by Politico, in preparation for such vetting, the administration is ordering US embassies and consular sections to pause scheduling of student visa applicant interviews. 

The proposed social-media scrutiny and suspension of student visa interviews could lead to delays in the application process for Indian students, potentially causing them to miss crucial admission deadlines due to a hold on F, M, and J visa appointments, says Gaurav Batra, chief executive officer (CEO) of Infinite Group, a Delhi-based consultancy. “This increased scrutiny is likely to amplify stress, uncertainty, and anxiety among students over the possibility of visa rejections.”

 

US State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce, in her briefing on Tuesday, said the government would use “every tool in our tool chest to vet anyone coming into this country… and applying for a visa to gain access to our nation”. She also said: “Every sovereign country has a right to know who is trying to come in, why they want to come in, who they are, what they have been doing, and — at least hopefully — within that framework, determine what they will be doing while they are here. So... we will continue to use every tool we can to assess who is coming here, whether students or otherwise.”

 

The statement came days after the Trump administration’s attempt to revoke Harvard University’s certification to enrol international students.  ALSO READ: US suspends student visa interviews: Why now, and what are implications?

 

While that move was stayed by a federal court, Kajal Dave, cofounder of LaunchEd, says students are now concerned over prospects of education in the US, given that even the most prestigious universities are susceptible to policy shifts. “Such unpredictability is motivating families to seek destinations with a more stable educational system.”

 

According to a recent Open Doors report, there were 1.12 million international students in the US in the 2023-24 academic year, of whom 331,602 were from India — 23 per cent more Indian students than the previous year. China formed the second-largest cohort, with 277,398 students in US universities, and South Korea was third with 43,149 students.

 

While the US administration had earlier imposed some social-media screening requirements largely aimed at students who might have participated in protests against Israel’s actions in Gaza, a blanket ban is expected to lead to more friction between the government and US universities.

 

With the eagerly anticipated Fall intake fast approaching, such ambiguity could completely disrupt plans, adds Dave.

 

Saurabh Arora, founder and CEO of foreign studies consultancy firm University Living says there can be pushback from the US universities.

 

Private institutions are likely to suffer financially if there is a drop in enrolments, says Dave, as international students — because of the higher tuition fees they pay and their spending on the campus — are an important source of revenue for them.

 

“Exchange programmes may suffer too, diminishing the competitiveness of American higher education and international intellectual cooperation,” Batra adds.

 

The continuous and growing uncertainty has led Indian students to look for new academic destinations, with Germany, Ireland, New Zealand, and even Russia, finding favour — despite language barriers — for their easy immigration policies and promise of work opportunities after the course ends.  According to the education ministry data, Germany saw a 68 per cent increase in Indian students — to 34,702 in 2024 from 20,684 in 2022. New Zealand, meanwhile, witnessed a whopping 354 per cent jump from 1,605 to 7,297 during the same period. Russia saw a 59 per cent rise in Indian students and Ireland 49 per cent.