US President Donald Trump has supported allowing foreign students to study in America. He said that it not only keeps the education system of the country strong, but is also very beneficial economically. While talking to Fox News host Laura Ingraham, Trump said that if the admission of foreign students is cut, many American universities will be closed.

Trump said, “If you stop half the students from all over the world, our colleges and universities will be destroyed. I don’t want to do that. It is good for students from outside countries to come, because we should keep pace with the whole world.”

Trump made a big claim

He claimed that half of America’s universities could be closed due to reducing the number of students from China and other countries. According to Trump, foreign students contribute trillions of dollars to the American economy and pay twice the fees as domestic students. He said, “I want to see our education system flourishing. It is not just a matter of inviting students, but it is a business model.”

Visa rules for international students strict

However, this statement has come at a time when the Trump administration has tightened the visa rules for international students. Thousands of visas have been canceled and some foreign students have been arrested or deported due to pro-Palestine activities.

When Ingraham suggested that reducing the number of foreign students would increase seats for American students, Trump disagreed. He said this would cause huge harm to small colleges and black historical universities.

Marco Rubio had taken a big decision

On the other hand, Foreign Minister Marco Rubio had earlier this year given instructions to temporarily stop student visa interviews. Now the administration is working on a new policy called Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education, under which it plans to limit the number of foreign students to 15% of the total undergraduate admissions and not allow more than 5% students from any one country. Many top institutions are opposing this proposal.

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The US has implemented new restrictions for foreign students amid growing trade tension from India. Earlier, US President Donald Trump had imposed a tariff on India, now the Trump administration has issued a new decree regarding foreign students. In fact, the US administration has recently sent a 10-nine memo to the Universities of America. According to this, only 15 percent of international students will be able to take admission in Universities of America and the number of students of any one country will not be more than 5 percent.

Apart from this, the Trump administration has also asked American universities to reduce the registration of foreign students and improve some departments. Amidst the restrictions imposed on Indian students in America, let us know which countries other than America have better education options.

Know the effect of decision on Indian students first

The impact of the new memo of US administration will be seen on Indian students. Actually, a large number of Indian students study in America. After this decision of Trump, taking admission in American universities will be more difficult than ever, because the total number of foreign students in every university will be limited to only 15 percent and cannot be more than 5 copies of any one country. This means that competition will increase for Indian students and many students will not get admission. Apart from this, the university will also have to public the data of earnings after students’ GPA, test score, tuition fees and graduation. It is believed that after this decision of Trump, now Indian students will start looking for new options for studying abroad apart from America.

Germany Indian students choice

After the decisions of the US government, Germany is also considered a good option for the education of Indian students. Actually, tuition fees are not charged from international students in most public universities in Germany. Apart from this, international students do not have to pay more semester fees here. Also, there is permission to do part time job and post study work visa here. In such a situation, Germany is considered to be the best option for Indian students after America.

Canada is also a safe option

Canada is also considered a good option for Indian students. The university of Canada also has less tuition fees than America. On the other hand, if the students want, then you can also reduce tuition fees through many scholarships here. Along with this, many programs are also offered in Canada regarding business and health care, which students can also take advantage of.

Britain also in the list of Indian students

Britain is known for a place on one side and strong economy. At the same time, it is now being considered one of the best countries for the education of foreign students. The big reason for this is that in Britain, there is a chance to study in the top universities of the world. Which includes universities like Oxford and Cambridge. Apart from this, after graduation, there is also a job option through graduate visa.

France is also the choice of students

After America’s decisions, Indian students can also turn to France. In fact, the fees for international students in many universities in France are very low. Apart from this, the cost of living here is also different in different cities, due to which the small towns here can be economical for the students.

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Us visa policy: Optional Practical Training (Opt) is an important part of the American immigration system. It helps foreign students studying on F-1 visa to achieve work experience for 1 to 3 years after completing the course. This is considered especially important for students studying in Stem (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics). This program acts like a bridge for the H-1B work visa.

Standard OPT is 12 months. In this, the time increases for 24 months with the help of Stem Opt Extension. However, a bill presented in the US Congress in early 2025 has demanded to completely abolish the OPT program. This proposal has been introduced under the security of the US labor market and anti -immigrant strategies. If this bill is passed, it can destroy the career possibilities of millions of foreign students.
There will be a problem due to lack of opt program
Due to the elimination of OPT program completely, people studying may have to face many problems. The most impact of this can be seen on Indian students. Due to its end, there will be many problems, which are the following.

• Access to H-1B visa will be limited.
• The chance to get the work experience will end.
• The career path in the US will stop for Stem students.
• The possibility of repaying the loan for the students will be negligible.

Eastern Chothani, a major immigration on the case, says that if the bill is passed, students may have to leave America immediately.

Impact on Indian students
According to the Open Doors 2024 report, 331,602 Indian students are studying in the US in 2023-24, of which around 97,556 are part of the OPT program. This shows that this law will affect students from countries like India the most, as they enroll in stem areas on a large scale. American salary will not be available without OPT, which will make it difficult to repay the student loan. There will be uncertainty in future education plans. People associated with science and technology will migrate from America. Multinational companies may face a shortage of skilled talent.

Response of educational institutions and students
Major American institutions such as Cornell, Colombia, Yale etc. have informally advised their foreign students not to go home during the holidays. Many students have canceled the summer journey as they are afraid of not getting admission in America again. Some students are applying early for H-1B visa lottery. Many students are now looking for opportunities in countries like Canada, UK, Australia.

What is the option for students?
If Opt is finished, students should start the process of obtaining H-1B visa as soon as possible. Post-study work visa facility should be started in the UK. In Canada, the PR process and the student support system can be a better option. Large companies can transfer students to other countries through their global networks.

Serious questions on the future of Indian stem students
This initiative to eliminate the OPT program raises serious questions on the future of thousands of international students, especially Indian Stem students, who came to study in America. This step will not only affect the availability of skilled talent for the US, but can also reduce its reputation in the field of higher education.