Recently on May 27, the administration of the U.S. President “Donald Trump” has ordered the American embassies and consulates worldwide to temporarily suspend student-visa interviews. Consequently, GIST News has looked into whether any related measures are being taken at GIST.
Trump Administration Tells Posts to “Pause Student-Visa Interviews”
Since May 27, all appointments for student-visa interviews have become frozen. Additionally, the move came with a simultaneous directive to intensify the preliminary screenings of the applicants’ SNS activity. Originally, the Trump administration had mainly canceled visas held by Chinese nationals or students alleged to have joined anti-Israel protests. However, reasons for visa revocation have recently been extended to even “misdemeanors (minor offenses)” such as speeding tickets. Not only that, as the frequency of cases, such as issued visas suddenly being revoked or applicants not being able to book an interview slot, are increasing, the anxiety among the would-be visa holders have also been fueled.
However, Professor Jang Jin-ho (from the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at GIST) has commented that “a protracted freeze is unlikely”. When asked more specifically about the likelihood on whether the freeze will drag on, Professor Jang noted that “although the immediate trigger was the Trump administration’s clash with Harvard University, the administration has long pressured top universities for allegedly tolerating anti-Semitic protests. Consequently, although the student-visa interviews are temporarily closed, once procedures and criteria for social-media screening are in place, the student-visa interviews are quite likely to resume”. He explained that a prolonged freeze would hamper the operation of U.S. universities, where an extended standoff would be improbable. Additionally, he added that “the United States regards Chinese students, especially those entering STEM undergraduate and graduate programs, as subjects requiring stricter oversight. However, these measures do not solely stem from the rivalry between the U.S. and China, but from a broader attempt to address structural issues in American universities. Therefore they could affect all international students, not just those from China”.
GIST International Cooperation Team, “Monitoring the Situation… Ready to Act on Any Changes”
GIST runs a variety of international exchange programs, including summer sessions and SAP terms at campuses such as UC Berkeley, Boston University, and Cambridge University. Since long-term stays in the United States inevitably require student visas, the current situation is indeed unsettling for students preparing for such programs. According to the PIC (Person In Charge), Park Ahan (of the GIST International Cooperation Team), GIST is constantly on watch as “the International Cooperation Team is fully aware of the visa cancellations and sudden interview pause, and are in constant contact with students scheduled to go abroad”. Additionally, she noted that any changes concerning visas will be shared promptly with the Student Affairs Team.
translated by Yoonseo Huh