US student visa policy: Trump administration tighten visa rules for foreign students – BBC News Pidgin

Wia dis foto come from,Joe Sohm/Visions of America/Universal Images Group

Published17 July 2026
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Trump administration don give final notice of plans to implement stricter rules on foreign students, wey include to stop dem from staying for US for more dan four years unless dem get permission from di federal govment

US govment go also restrict di ability to switch programmes and transfer between universities and colleges

Until now, higher education institutions bin get di power to grant visa extensions

Di policy, wey go come into effect for September, “go tackle rampant visa abuse, and strengthen national security through regular vetting”, di Department of Homeland Security tok

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Di Association of International Educators don describe di new rules as “misguided and unnecessary”

Bifor now, dem dey admit foreign students to di US on F-1 visas and J-1 exchange visas under “duration of status”, wey mean say dem fit remain for di kontri for as long as e take to finish dia degrees

Dis new rules go put time limit on dat stay

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin say: “For decades, we don admit foreign students to US indefinitely, wey allow thousands to abuse our immigration system as dem continually dey register in courses to avoid leaving di US.”

While most US undergraduate programmes normally na four years, graduate level programmes like doctorates typically dey take longer time to complete

Most <a href="https://jiuniversity.com/scholarships-for-international-students-in-the-uk/" title="Scholarships for international students in the UK”>international students dey enrol in graduate level courses, especially dose wey dey di science and technology fields

Dose courses dey take more time to complete and publish research. Funding shortfalls for research and personal circumstances fit also lengthen di study period

Wia dis foto come from,Getty Images

Under di new rules, foreign students now go get only 30 days to pack up and leave afta graduation or change to different visa category – down from di previous 60-day grace period

Association of International Educators, one non-profit wey dey advise schools on foreign student enrolment, don criticise di new rules

Dia chief executive, Fanta Aw, tok say di new policy “bring uncertainty, bureaucracy, and fear into system wey don work effectively for long. Na solution in search of problem.”

Di new rules na part of one broader approach by di Trump administration to reduce di number of foreign students and restrict immigration to di US

Di administration dey try to limit di number of foreign students for some elite colleges and dem don take steps to withdraw di visas of students wey dey critical of US foreign policy

Source: www.bbc.com