Cottey College, a women’s college in Nevada, Mo., accepted six students from Ethiopia this year, and officials were disappointed when two of them were denied visas. They were puzzled by the reason: The students, the State Department said, did not have strong enough ties to their home country and might not return.
Unexpected denials and long delays have become increasingly common for international students and scholars seeking visas, raising concerns among college officials who see a threat to the diversity and enrichment of their campuses, and causing anxiety for students who may have spent years preparing to study in the United States — only to have their hopes dashed.
University officials say the number of visas going through extended security checks has spiked under the Trump administration. The government has cracked down on international students who overstay their visas, issuing harsher penalties on violators. Processing fees for student and scholar visas have risen sharply. And slowdowns in processing applications from international students and scholars for internships and jobs have limited career opportunities.
