US government denies entry to new foreign students if courses are online.
International students already in the US will be allowed to stay in the country, but no new students will be given visas for online studies.
On Friday, federal immigration officers announced that new foreign students will not be permitted to enter the United States this fall if they will be studying the course online. The decision comes a week after revoking sweeping new restrictions on international students.
Students who enrolled before 9th March will be permitted to enter the US:
US Immigration and Customs Enforcement said that new students who were enrolled in the colleges before 9 March will be allowed to enter, those who enrolled after the date, will most likely not obtain visas if their course is entirely online. A memo was sent to all college officials and comes as a major blow for both students and colleges who were gearing up for starting courses from August. As per the update, international students who are already in the US or have been issued the visas will be allowed to take classes entirely online. It also clarifies that all students who will be studying in-person classes in colleges, which may go online due to the worsening Coronavirus pandemic, will be allowed to stay in the US till the course’s completion.
The American Council expresses disappointment:
The American Council on Education expressed their disappointment on the latest announcement and the Vice President of the group; Brad Farnsworth said,” We have been fearing this and preparing for this. We’re still disappointed.” Harvard University’s undergraduate dean, Rakesh Khurana, in a message to students on Tuesday had said the school abhors any policy that forces authorities to choose between the college community‘s health and education of its international students.
An estimated 250,000 students are planning to enter the US for the upcoming academic year, either as fresher or returning students, revealed The American Council on Education.
