Overview

• The State Department has paused all new student visa interviews and ordered consular officers to vet applicants’ public social media activity, flagging private or inactive profiles as potential security risks.
• Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced plans to ‘aggressively’ revoke visas of Chinese students accused of Communist Party ties or studying in sensitive fields, piloting the policy through enhanced screening of Harvard visitors.
• U.S. universities including Northeastern and Suffolk are preparing contingency plans—such as temporary housing and deferred enrollment—to support international students facing visa uncertainties.
• Top Asian institutions like Osaka University, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and Xi’an Jiaotong University have extended unconditional admission offers, research funding and tuition exemptions to students leaving U.S. campuses.
• Analysts warn that cutting international enrollment could cost U.S. higher education up to US$43.8 billion and jeopardize more than 378,000 jobs as global competitors vie for top talent.