If universities in the United States decide to switch to the online teaching system, international students will have to leave the country, otherwise they risk being deported, the US Office of Immigration and Customs Supervision (via CNN) reported.
The decision could affect thousands of foreign students going to the US to attend universities or to participate in training programs, non-academic or professional studies.
Many universities in the US have made the decision to switch to online teaching as a result of coronavirus pandemic. "It simply came to our notice then. It's really disappointing, "said Valeria Mendiola, a graduate student at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government. "If I have to go back to Mexico I will come back because I have the opportunity, but a lot of international students can't."
According to the announcement, the state department will not issue visas to students whose study cycle is totally online. This excludes educational institutions that will operate through a hybrid model, ie there will be a mix of online and physical classes.
Brad Farnsworth, vice president of the American Council on Education, said the announcement "caught him and many others by surprise." "We think it will create more confusion and more uncertainty," he said, whose organization represents about 1,800 colleges and universities. "We were hoping for more appreciation of all the other possibilities."
Source: CNN
