USU addresses concerns over new Trump visa rules

Utah State University has announced they will be working with international students to ensure they are not affected by a new Trump administration directive.

The directive would strip non-immigrant students of visas if they take a full class load online for the fall of 2020.

USU took to twitter to express support for their international students Tuesday evening.

“International students are key to cultivating diversity of thought and culture, which is central to USU’s mission,” the statement said. “We know there is a lot of anxiety over the ICE announcement, and we want to remove this stress for our nearly 700 current and incoming international students.”

On Monday, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement issued a press release modifying exemptions for non-immigrant students. According to the press release, international students who attend schools operating entirely online will not be allowed to remain in the United States. In addition, international students who are currently abroad will not be allowed back in the U.S. if they are only taking online courses fall semester.

However, students attending a “hybrid model school,” a blend of online and in person classes, will be allowed to take multiple classes online. USU has adopted a hybrid model for the fall of 2020.

“International students should enroll in at least 3 credits of on-campus delivery courses (in addition to other classes to maintain full-time enrollment) to maintain their student visa status,” USU said on twitter.

The statement from USU also said thesis and research credits would meet the on-campus delivery requirement.

Any international students with concerns about their fall schedule are advised to reach out to internationalstudents@usu.edu.

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