The US has introduced a new policy limiting F-1 visa holders to study abroad programs of no longer than five months, a change that could significantly impact international students. This shift, enacted on August 27 and effective immediately, now requires international students to stay within the US to maintain their visa status, drastically altering the flexibility they previously enjoyed.
Under the old policy, F-1 visa holders could participate in study abroad programs indefinitely as long as they remained enrolled at a US institution. However, the updated guidance from the US immigration agency now caps overseas study at five months, disrupting many established study abroad arrangements.
Minerva University, based in San Francisco, was one of the first institutions to identify the change. The university’s president, Mike Magee, expressed concern over the implications for international students, saying, “Many US campuses offer study abroad programs longer than five months. International students with these visas are now restricted from taking advantage of these wonderful opportunities.”
Magee believes that the US government intended to provide clearer guidance with this policy update, but international students are facing unintended consequences as a result. Stakeholders, including Magee, are advocating for a grace period to give currently studying students time to adapt their plans and ensure they retain their F-1 status.
The new policy has created confusion, particularly for students nearing graduation who meticulously planned their academic and professional pathways based on the previous guidelines. Now, they risk losing their F-1 status and associated work opportunities if they exceed the five-month study abroad limit.
Minerva University, recognized as one of the most innovative universities in the world by the World University Rankings for Innovation (WURI) for three consecutive years, has built its program around a global immersion model. This approach requires students to rotate through cities in Asia, Europe, and South America during their undergraduate studies before returning to the US for graduation. Cities involved in these rotations include Berlin, Buenos Aires, Hyderabad, London, San Francisco, Seoul, and Taipei, with plans to add Tokyo in 2025.
However, this model is now at risk. In response to the new policy, Minerva has begun the costly process of flying 150 students back to the US from Europe to ensure they maintain their F-1 status. These students will need to remain in the US for an entire academic year before they can return to studying abroad.
Magee stressed that the policy change could have far-reaching implications for international education, reducing opportunities for global partnerships and limiting the diversity of the international student population in the US. Despite efforts to engage with current and former US Senators and Congress members to address this issue, it remains to be seen whether the guidance will be amended to better accommodate international students.
As it stands, the new policy presents significant challenges for institutions like Minerva that emphasize global education and immersion, potentially limiting the growth of international leaders and educators who have traditionally enriched the academic landscape of the US.
