US resumes student visas… here’s all you should know

The U.S. State Department has announced the resumption of student visa appointment scheduling, introducing a controversial requirement that all applicants make their social media accounts public. This new policy, aimed at tightening security, applies to F visas for academic students, M visas for vocational students, and J visas for exchange visitors.

According to the BBC, Under the updated guidelines, visa officers will now examine applicants’ online activity for signs of hostility toward the U.S., including attitudes against its citizens, government, and foundational values. The department warned that applicants with private social media profiles might be perceived as attempting to conceal suspicious activity.

Officials have also been directed to screen for connections to terrorism, antisemitic violence, or other national security threats. According to a senior department official, the measure aligns with the government’s responsibility to protect American citizens.

The move follows a series of actions by the Trump administration aimed at elite academic institutions. President Trump has accused top universities, like Harvard, of being overly liberal and not doing enough to combat antisemitism during pro-Palestinian campus protests. His administration has attempted to freeze federal funding and restrict international enrolments at these institutions, although some efforts were blocked by U.S. courts.

Despite the heightened scrutiny, international students remain a significant part of the U.S. academic landscape, with over 1.1 million students from more than 210 countries enrolled in American colleges during the 2023–2024 academic year, according to Open Doors.