Students are waiting in queues for their visa interview.
| Photo Credit: file photo

Reports of enhanced screening, including “social media vetting”, of foreign students by the Donald Trump administration have left many students in Delhi-NCR, who were looking forward to studying in the U.S., now weighing options in other countries, such as England and Australia, as well as those in Europe.

Students and parents The Hindu spoke to, all of whom requested anonymity, said the recent developments, which follow visa cancellations of international students over minor infractions, have discouraged them from pursuing studies in the U.S.

An 18-year-old Delhi-based student who received an acceptance letter from a college in the U.S. in February is still waiting for her visa interview.

“I haven’t heard about the visa appointment. Meanwhile, the university has been in constant touch and has mailed us regarding sessions with a guidance counsellor,” the student said.

Her academic session will start by the end of August. The student had been working on her portfolio over the last three years. She had applied to five colleges in various countries and was accepted to two in the U.K., in addition to one in the U.S., which was her top choice.

‘Constant anxiety’

“I am now considering my options in the U.K. Every day, we wake up to discover something new about U.S. education policies. I don’t know if it’s worth the constant anxiety,” she said.

A Gurugram-based woman, whose teenage daughter is looking forward to studying economics and finance in the U.S., said the reported changes in the visa rules have come “at the eleventh hour” for students who have to join their colleges within two months. “The last-minute changes are impacting the students and their parents adversely,” she said, adding that parents in the WhatsApp group of her daughter’s school had expressed worry over the recent developments.

The 44-year-old woman, however, said that every country has the right to decide what kind of people it wants to allow on its soil.

Another Gurugram-based parent said, “My daughter was preparing to study in the U.S. next year. But we are now considering a few countries in Europe as well. I believe students should have the freedom to express themselves freely.”

‘Dreamt of Harvard’

A 16-year-old student, currently in Class 12, said she has since childhood dreamt of studying at Harvard University, but the recent developments have disrupted her plans.

“My plan was to apply for admission to study Psychology in the university’s 2026 fall session. To prepare for it, I have been participating in debates and extracurricular activities since I was in Class 6, apart from working on my academics. However, now I’m not so sure. I might consider studying in Australia now.”

(With inputs from Ashok Kumar)