U.S. Sets Four-Year Limit on Foreign Student and Exchange Visas, Bars First-Year Transfers

The Trump administration has adopted new rules that replace open-ended admissions for foreign students, exchange visitors, and foreign media with a fixed maximum stay of four years. The changes also bar F-1 students from changing majors or transferring schools in their first year. Graduate students are prohibited from changing educational objectives at any point.

Students who finish a program at one level may only begin another program at a higher level. Completing a master's degree and seeking a second master's in a different field is not permitted. The same restriction applies to those who finish a PhD and wish to pursue an associate's degree.

Officials stated that students should plan joint-degree programs in advance rather than change direction later. The new rules also make it more difficult for foreign students to find jobs and remain in the United States after graduation. Johns Hopkins Prof.

Michael Clemens estimated that a sustained one-third decline in international student inflows would reduce annual U.S. GDP by between $240 billion and $481 billion over a decade. "Those students don't just sustain a $43 billion export industry in higher education services per year.

Many remain after graduation as a key source of high-skill science and engineering workers," Clemens said. Universities have relied on foreign-student tuition to subsidize financial aid for U.S. citizens.

The restrictions add to earlier measures targeting foreign students who engage in political speech. The policies will also deny educational and career opportunities to many prospective students based on their country of birth.