Student Union
Grants Available to Foreign Students During COVID-19
The Institute for International Education (IIE) has committed $1 million to aid international students affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and seeks nominations for students in need of that funding.
As U.S. colleges and universities have shut down their campuses and asked students to return home for the duration of stay-at-home orders, many of the more than 1 million international students attending school in the U.S. face additional burdens.
"The necessary but abrupt campus closures are devastating for many international students," wrote IIE President Allan E. Goodman on the institute's website. "Some are unable to go home to be with their families — border closures and canceled flights make it impossible. Others made the difficult decision to remain in the U.S. anticipating they might not be able to return when their university reopens."
IIE's one-time Emergency Student Fund is worth $2,500 for selected students enrolled at IIE network member institutions and pursuing associate's, bachelor's, master's or doctoral degrees. The global membership network is comprised of more than 7,000 professionals at 1,300 higher education institutions around the world, according to IIE's website.
IIE stated that it seeks to raise an additional $1 million to support funding international students in need during the pandemic in the U.S.
"Each institution may nominate up to five eligible students who are not able to return to their home countries over the summer break due to the COVID-19 pandemic," IIE stated. "Please provide a detailed description on each student's individual situation."
"The bottom line: International students are stranded in the U.S., unable to meet basic living expenses. Their employment options are limited by law, and their eligibility for financial aid is even more limited," Goodman wrote.
"Their families may be unable to provide funds the students have been counting on. Some students may have fallen ill and need support while they recover," he stated.
Submissions are due by 11:59 p.m. EDT on Sunday, April 26. Awards will be announced by mid-May, IIE stated.
IIE is well-known for its annual Open Doors report, which, for the 2018-2019 school year, showed enrollment of 1,095,299 international students (5.5% of all students) among 19,828,000 total students in institutions of higher education in the U.S.
China sent the most students – 369,548 – or 33.7% of all foreign students. India sent the second-largest number – 202,014 – or 18.4% of all college and university students.
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Trump administration opens antisemitism inquiries at 5 colleges, including Columbia and Berkeley
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."
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STEM, business top subjects for international students
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)
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Safety and visa difficulties among misconceptions about US colleges
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)
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Work opportunities help draw international students to US schools
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)
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British student talks about her culture shock in Ohio
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)
