An uncomfortable silence has settled on the normally busy boulevards and avenues of Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

Its high rises, trendy shops and other newcomers — ushered in by the sudden shift to market economics in the early 1990s — sit among slabs of gray concrete and rare czarist architecture that came before.

But, COVID-19 and the emergency state measures enacted by authorities to prevent any further spread of the disease have left these areas and other open spaces, like parks and cafés, absent of city residents. The vibe of springtime Bishkek is uncharacteristically different this year.

Local media and rumor keep apace of one another as the general public receives new information and learns of regulations that will shape everyone’s lives for the next several months. Parallel real-time developments in other countries leave those of us speculating as to how things will play out.

But for now, my time as a Fulbright scholar has come to an abrupt close. And I wait in isolation until COVID-19 is controlled.

Fulbright grant to teach

I came to Kyrgyzstan in August 2017 after finishing my bachelor’s degree at the University of Virginia, excited to begin a new life as a Peace Corps volunteer for two years. Toward the end of my service, I was offered a Fulbright grant to teach English classes at a private university in the capital of Bishkek. I started in October 2019.

On March 13, our WhatsApp group of Central Asian Fulbright English Teaching Assistants (ETAs) began to exchange a flurry of messages. The State Department was shuttering the Fulbright Program for the rest of the year.

What were the embassies saying? Who was staying? Who was leaving? Personal messages to friends and other loved ones went back and forth as we discussed our options and tried to come to grips with the potential futures we faced.

For most of us it was a difficult choice. We had committed to 10 months in our host countries and were adjusting to our new assignments. Routines were developed; social circles were formed. There were connections and revelations lying ahead for us as Fulbright ETAs.

For many, this abruptness was an unexpected intruder. News that we could leave without repercussion from the Fulbright program, followed by the order to evacuate, came with a flood of heavy emotions for all.

In the ensuing hours and days after we were told to leave Kyrgyzstan, it became obvious that a smooth return to the United States could be challenging. Rumors swirled about flight availability, cancellations and quarantines. Stories of being trapped in airports for more than a week came from WhatsApp and other social media platforms.

“In these unprecedented circumstances, we also recognize that due to conditions in specific countries, including the closing of borders and air space, the lack of available flights, or other safety considerations, not all U.S. Fulbright participants will be able to depart for the United States at this time,” the Fulbright program announced.

The risks of contracting COVID-19 in transit, and the sheer uncertainty of becoming a temporary resident in an airport terminal for an indefinite period, painted a somewhat bleak picture for returning stateside.

Thankfully, the State Department informed us that without safe and certain options for returning to the States, we could remain in our respective counties as private citizens — that is, if we were prepared to stay put for an undetermined time.

Waiting it out

Personally, I was immensely relieved that we were given the option to remain abroad. I believe I am in a better position to self-isolate and avoid COVID-19 — as well as not infect my loved ones with it — here in Kyrgyzstan than in the States.

Moreover, in my heart I felt that I wasn’t ready to go home. For me and other Fulbrights, returning to the States with no plans and few opportunities was unthinkable only three weeks ago. We had hoped to experience so much more while abroad, yet for reasons beyond our control, that opportunity vanished over the course of a few days.

Because of the internet, self-isolation in the coming months will be (hopefully) bearable. Communicating with friends and family across the globe, and consuming a near endless amount of media at the click of a mouse, make life a little less boring when social interaction is limited.

There are plenty of grocery stores and pharmacies near my apartment, which has a pleasant street view from all three of its rooms. Over time, these advantages may not prove to be as sustainable as I had hoped. But for the moment, I am thankful to have them.

The Fulbright ETA program is a truly exceptional way to teach and learn outside the U.S. We were each afforded the opportunity to live and integrate into cultures and countries that we otherwise would not have explored.

The Fulbright Program develops a more globally conscious population in the U.S. and abroad. We expanded our minds through cultural exchange, as well as those of our peers and counterparts in our host countries. For this, I and my fellow Fulbright 2019-2020 cohort will always be grateful.

It’s tough to gain admission to Yale University, and it’s getting even tougher for international students as standout students from around the world set their sights on Yale.

The Yale Dale News, the campus newspaper, takes a look at the situation here.

Read the full story here.

Ruth Chane, a computer science major from Ethiopia, writes about her experiences settling into student life at Whitman College in the U.S. state of Washington.

"The community at Whitman College made sure I felt welcomed even before I stepped foot on campus," she says.

Read her essay here.

In The Student Life, the student newspaper for the Claremont Colleges, a consortium of five liberal art colleges and two graduate schools in Claremont, California, student Rochelle Lu writes about readjusting to her Shanghai home after spending a semester in the United States.

Read the full story here.

Cedarville University in the U.S. state of Ohio says it’s got more than 140 international students representing 44 countries.

Here, the school interviews Jonathan Sutton, director of international student services. He talks about his job and the opportunities for international students on campus.

Read the full article here.

Morehouse College, a private, historically Black liberal arts college in the U.S. state of Georgia, offers a guide for international students interested in attending the school.

Among the tips to apply and thrive at Morehouse:

• Take advantage of the school’s orientation program
• Turn to the school’s Center for Academic Success for tutoring, support and more
• Immerse yourself in campus life via clubs and societies

Read the full article here.

The administration of President Donald Trump said on Monday it will review Columbia University's federal contracts and grants over allegations of antisemitism, which it says the educational institution has shown inaction in tackling.

Rights advocates note rising antisemitism, Islamophobia and anti-Arab bias since U.S. ally Israel's devastating military assault on Gaza began after Palestinian Hamas militants' deadly October 2023 attack.

The Justice Department said a month ago it formed a task force to fight antisemitism. The U.S. Departments of Health and Education and the General Services Administration jointly made the review announcement on Monday.

"The Federal Government's Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism is considering Stop Work Orders for $51.4 million in contracts between Columbia University and the Federal Government," the joint statement said.

The agencies said no contracting actions had been taken yet.

"The task force will also conduct a comprehensive review of the more than $5 billion in federal grant commitments to Columbia University."

The agencies did not respond to requests for comment on whether there were similar reviews over allegations of Islamophobia and anti-Arab bias.

Columbia had no immediate comment. It previously said it made efforts to tackle antisemitism.

College protests

Trump has signed an executive order to combat antisemitism and pledged to deport non-citizen college students and others who took part in pro-Palestinian protests.

Columbia was at the center of college protests in which demonstrators demanded an end to U.S. support for Israel due to the humanitarian crisis caused by Israel's assault on Gaza. There were allegations of antisemitism and Islamophobia in protests and counter-protests.

During last summer's demonstrations around the country, classes were canceled, some university administrators resigned and student protesters were suspended and arrested.

While the intensity of protests has decreased in recent months, there were some demonstrations last week in New York after the expulsion of two students at Columbia University-affiliated Barnard College and after New York Governor Kathy Hochul ordered the removal of a Palestinian studies job listing at Hunter College.

A third student at Barnard College has since been expelled, this one related to the occupation of the Hamilton Hall building at Columbia last year.

The Trump administration is opening new investigations into allegations of antisemitism at five U.S. universities including Columbia and the University of California, Berkeley, the Education Department announced Monday.

It's part of President Donald Trump's promise to take a tougher stance against campus antisemitism and deal out harsher penalties than the Biden administration, which settled a flurry of cases with universities in its final weeks. It comes the same day the Justice Department announced a new task force to root out antisemitism on college campuses.

In an order signed last week, Trump called for aggressive action to fight anti-Jewish bias on campuses, including the deportation of foreign students who have participated in pro-Palestinian protests.

Along with Columbia and Berkeley, the department is now investigating the University of Minnesota, Northwestern University and Portland State University. The cases were opened using the department's power to launch its own civil rights reviews, unlike the majority of investigations, which stem from complaints.

Messages seeking comment were left with all five universities.
A statement from the Education Department criticized colleges for tolerating antisemitism after Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel and a wave of pro-Palestinian protests that followed. It also criticized the Biden administration for negotiating "toothless" resolutions that failed to hold schools accountable.

"Today, the Department is putting universities, colleges, and K-12 schools on notice: this administration will not tolerate continued institutional indifference to the wellbeing of Jewish students on American campuses," said Craig Trainor, the agency's acting assistant secretary for civil rights.

The department didn't provide details about the inquiries or how it decided which schools are being targeted. Presidents of Columbia and Northwestern were among those called to testify on Capitol Hill last year as Republicans sought accountability for allegations of antisemitism. The hearings contributed to the resignation of multiple university presidents, including Columbia's Minouche Shafik.

An October report from House Republicans accused Columbia of failing to punish pro-Palestinian students who took over a campus building, and it called Northwestern's negotiations with student protesters a "stunning capitulation."

House Republicans applauded the new investigations. Representative Tim Walberg, chair of the Education and Workforce Committee, said he was "glad that we finally have an administration who is taking action to protect Jewish students."

Trump's order also calls for a full review of antisemitism complaints filed with the Education Department since Oct. 7, 2023, including pending and resolved cases from the Biden administration. It encourages the Justice Department to take action to enforce civil rights laws.

Last week's order drew backlash from civil rights groups who said it violated First Amendment rights that protect political speech.

The new task force announced Monday includes the Justice and Education departments along with Health and Human Services.

"The Department takes seriously our responsibility to eradicate this hatred wherever it is found," said Leo Terrell, assistant attorney general for civil rights. "The Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism is the first step in giving life to President Trump's renewed commitment to ending anti-Semitism in our schools."

The Times of India breaks down the most popular subjects for international students to study in the U.S.

STEM and business lead the pack. Read the full story here. (January 2025)

U.S. News & World report addresses some of the misconceptions about U.S. colleges and universities, including the difficulty of getting a visa.

Read the full story here. (January 2025)

US News & World Report details the three top factors in foreign students' decision to study in the U.S. They include research opportunities and the reputation of U.S. degrees. Read the full story here. (December 2024)

A British student who did a year abroad at Bowling Green State University in Ohio talks about adjusting to life in America in a TikTok video, Newsweek magazine reports.

Among the biggest surprises? Portion sizes, jaywalking laws and dorm room beds.

Read the full story here. (December 2024)

Harvard's T.H. Chan School of Public Health reaches out to international students by detailing the international student experience at the school.

Learn more about housing, life in Boston and more here.

China issued its first national action plan to build a "strong education nation" by 2035, which it said would help coordinate its education development, improve efficiencies in innovation and build a "strong country."

The plan, issued Sunday by the Communist Party's central committee and the State Council, aims to establish a "high quality education system" with accessibility and quality "among the best in the world."

The announcement was made after data on Friday showed China's population fell for a third consecutive year in 2024, with the number of deaths outpacing a slight increase in births, and experts cautioning that the downturn will worsen in the coming years.

High childcare and education costs have been a key factor for many young Chinese opting out of having children, at a time when many face uncertainty over their job prospects amid sluggish economic growth.

"By 2035, an education power will be built," the official Xinhua news agency said, adding that China would explore gradually expanding the scope of free education, increase "high-quality" undergraduate enrolment, expand postgraduate education, and raise the proportion of doctoral students.

The plan aims to promote "healthy growth and all-round development of students," making sure primary and secondary school students have at least two hours of physical activity daily, to effectively control the myopia, or nearsightedness, and obesity rates.

"Popularizing" mental health education and establishing a national student mental health monitoring and early warning system would also be implemented, it said.

It also aims to narrow the gap between urban and rural areas to improve the operating conditions of small-scale rural schools and improve the care system for children with disabilities and those belonging to agricultural migrant populations.

The plan also aims to steadily increase the supply of kindergarten places and the accessibility of preschool education.

The Open Notebook, a site focusing on educating journalists who cover science, has complied a list of U.S. graduate program financial aid information for international students.

Read it here.