Education in the USA- To study or not to study? 

2020 has been a very challenging time for everyone, all around the globe. In the midst of the global pandemic, the USA administration had announced on the 6th of July that international students who would not be attending classes on campus, would have to return to their countries. This was greatly unsettling for a lot of students who had gone to the USA with great aspirations. This caused a tremendous financial strain on them, and also affected them mentally.

On 8th July, a lawsuit was filed by top universities like Harvard and MIT, and the administration had to revoke the decision on 14th July, which came as a relief to all the international students.

Despite that, many students across the globe are worried about whether studying online post this pandemic is a good decision. It has created fear and anxiety in the minds of students, as well as parents.

Some important adjustments have been made by the administration which are as follows:

1) Temporary absence

In order to maintain their immigration status, students who are on an F-1 visa must undertake a ‘full course of study’. If students are not willing to enroll for online classes, and therefore, are not taking a full-time course, they have to request for a ‘temporary absence’. The students who plan to avail of this ‘temporary absence’ have to contact the respective school officials or DSO, so that they can get help to maintain their legal status in the USA. F-1 Students can take an authorized leave from their schools owing to unforeseen circumstances. When students do that, their status in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) will be changed to “terminated” for Authorized Early Withdrawal.

This leave can be taken for 5 months, and the status will be restored to “active” when they return to the USA to re-enroll in their schools. If the authorized leave extends for more than 5 months, students will have to reobtain their Form I-20 (the Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status, an important form used throughout an international student’s studies in the U.S.) They might also have to pay the I-901 SEVIS fee again if their student ID is not valid.

However, some flexibility might be allowed with respect to the duration of the authorized leave, due to the pandemic situation.

2) Remote learning in summer
US government regulations typically allow a student to take one online class a semester. Due to the current scenario, some flexibility has been provided to universities, and thus, students can choose to take their entire course online, without it affecting their immigration status. They will have to return to the US only when the universities switch to on-campus classes, without providing the alternative to study online. The SEVP (Student and Exchange Visitor Program) has said that for international students, these temporary changes will remain valid throughout the summer session.

3) Online classes during fall
On 6th July, the administration announced that students who are enrolled in universities that are offering online classes during fall will not be permitted to stay in the US, but have to return to their countries or transfer to schools using the hybrid method. However, a federal lawsuit was filed by Harvard and MIT, and the decision has now been revoked. It means that students can continue to stay in the US and take online classes during the Fall semester.

4) Flexible OPT hours 
As per the post-completion Optional Practical Training (OPT), students who have completed their degrees typically have to work for 20 hours a week, but due to the current pandemic, some flexibility is being allowed here, and students who work for less than 20 hours are also being considered for the Optional Training Program.
It’s not clear whether international students who are outside the US can take part in the OPT program. A spokesperson from the US Citizenship and Immigration Services has stated that the USCIS officers are evaluating all the applications for the OPT program on a case by case basis to consider their eligibility.
International students have been advised to stay in direct and regular contact with their individual school’s international students’ offices, so that they are notified of the changes taking place, and can avoid rumors.

We understand the concerns that students are going through. USA is one of the most popular study-abroad destinations, and despite the recent changes, we believe that it won’t lose what it has built over the decades and centuries. In a recent webinar by Bloomberg Quint, our CEO and Founder, Vibha Kagzi addressed these concerns about studying abroad in a post-Coronavirus world. You can watch it here.

We hope the current situation gets better soon so that students can make the best of their degrees abroad, and achieve high-quality global education without worrying about their future.

References

1) Desk, India.com News. “Harvard, MIT File Lawsuit Against Trump Administration Over Visa Row For Foreign Students.” Edited by Manmath Nayak, India News, Breaking News, Entertainment News | India.com, 8 July 2020.

2) Durrani, Anayat. “Updated Visa Guidelines International Students Should Know.” U.S. News & World Report, U.S. News & World Report, 16 July 2020.

3)Jordan, Miriam, and Anemona Hartocollis. “Government Rescinds Plan to Strip Visas From Foreign Students in Online Classes.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 14 July 2020.