International students seeking to study in the United States face new delays as the Trump administration suspends visa interview scheduling while developing expanded social media screening requirements, according to internal State Department communications obtained by Politico.
A Tuesday directive from Secretary of State Marco Rubio instructs American diplomatic missions to halt new appointments for student and exchange programs until additional screening protocols are established in the coming days.
“Effective immediately, in preparation for an expansion of required social media screening and vetting, consular sections should not add any additional student or exchange visitor visa appointment capacity,” the cable states.
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Students with existing interview appointments may keep them, but diplomatic posts must cancel available slots not yet booked.
The policy is another restrictive measure targeting foreign students and higher education institutions, implemented one week after the administration tried to block Harvard University from enrolling international students.
Read: Harvard Challenges Trump’s International Student Enrollment Ban In Court
Student visa approvals totaled more than 400,000 in fiscal year 2024. Foreign students annually contribute nearly $44 billion to the US economy and support more than 378,000 jobs, according to NAFSA: Association of International Educators.
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When asked about the directive, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce avoided confirming details but emphasized the administration’s vetting priorities.
“We will continue to use every tool we can to assess who it is that’s coming here, whether they are students or otherwise,” Bruce told reporters Tuesday.
The administration has already implemented limited social media screening, particularly targeting students who participated in pro-Palestinian campus protests. In April, the Department of Homeland Security announced it would screen visa applicants for “antisemitic activity on social media.”
Rubio said he has revoked visas for students over their political activism, saying in previous statements, “Every time I find one of these lunatics, I take away their visas.”
The broader crackdown has particularly targeted Harvard University. The administration revoked Harvard’s authorization to enroll international students and froze $2.65 billion in federal grants. A federal judge temporarily blocked the enrollment ban after Harvard sued.
International students make up about 27% of Harvard’s enrollment.
The visa pause could disrupt enrollment plans for summer and fall terms. Universities increasingly rely on international students, who often pay full tuition, to offset reduced federal research funding.
NAFSA criticized the policy as unfairly targeting students. “The students are not a threat,” said CEO Fanta Aw.
More than half of all international students in the US come from India and China, which together represented 54% of enrollments in 2023-24.
The State Department said it expects to issue additional guidance to embassies and consulates within days.
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