Trump administration limits international students' stay in the US to four years

The Trump administration has finalized a new rule stipulating that international students cannot stay in the US for more than four years without federal government approval. The rule, which will go into effect in September, also introduces restrictions on when and how students can change their majors or academic programs.

Under the current practice, students were given flexibility to complete their academic programs, most of which take longer than four years by design. Higher education leaders are opposing the decision, stating that this rule change creates an unnecessary administrative burden on schools and the federal government. Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin, however, argues that the rule closes a loophole that foreign students exploited to extend their education.

The rule follows previous restrictions targeting international students, such as the mandatory sharing of social media accounts and travel bans on certain countries. Because foreign students are not eligible for federal financial aid, they typically pay full tuition fees. While smaller-scale universities are the most affected by the decline in international student enrollments, there are concerns that students will turn to other countries amid increasing global competition for talent.