I would highly encourage international students to reconsider their plans of studying in the US. I am coming from my own personal experience, but as you can read from this thread or any immigration forum, the policies of the current administration are increasingly hostile towards immigrants. Especially, Chinese and Indian students should rethink. Few reasons why not to study in the US:<p>1. USCIS has made the OPT process increasingly difficult as yo u can read from this article. However, OPT is the only option if you want to work in the US post graduation. Chances of getting an employer prior to graduation, who can file your H1 in April and wait for you to join in October is close to zero<p>2. H1 visa is a crapshoot lottery and if you are not a STEM student, you will most likely get one shot at it. If you are not picked, that's the end of it<p>3. Even if you get selected in H1, 70% of cases result in RFE for BS reasons that a hostile USCIS agent made up on the spot. H1 laws are so vague that a rogue USCIS officer can make up any reason to deny your petition.<p>4. Even if you get an approved H1 petition, it comes with a ton of strings attached. And if you travel out of the country you have to get a visa from your home country or Canada or Mexico. The visa process also been made extremely difficult, with routine delays and 3-6 months wait in many cases. Imagine being stuck abroad and having to let your employer know that they have to wait months before you can be back.<p>5. If you are an Indian student currently, the path to green card simply doesn't exist. There is a 100 year wait for a green card<p>6. Points #1-5 above are not bugs, but features. US education only makes sense for rich students, who want to study for a few years and return. But then, why would you want to study in the US and deal with the harassment in US consulates and embassies to get an F-1 visa or deal with hostile CBP agents who treat you like enemies after flying for 40 hours.
Sounds like Princeton should be offering a CPT course for credits during the summer like pretty much every other top-ranked university. Students would likely have to pay some amount of tuition for those credits, but that is not too bad in the context of a paid internship.<p>USCIS (the agency that adjudicates OPT cases) is likely massively overloaded with processing border asylum cases at the moment - and recent media reports suggest they have been roping in employees who would usually work other parts of the immigration system to work asylum cases.
The writing on the wall has been there for quite some time. I’ve been hearing lots of issues with foreign students facing issues, not just for OPT, but also difficulties getting or continuing assistantships, finding campus jobs, facing direct/indirect threats of losing their visa, etc. This is to be expected; international students are in a vulnerable position, and can be easily taken advantage of by both university officials and by industry (assuming they somehow get a job).<p>I’d advise any foreign aspirant to avoid the USA for further studies unless they can easily afford tuition. No need to fill university coffers with out-of-state tuition for such degrading treatment.
I am doing my PhD in Netherlands after studying in Belgium. I also worked in USA for a few years as a software engineer. Work culture is more relaxed in EU. My wife is allowed to work here from day of her arrival even though I am a PhD student. Even on a single salary we were able to travel around Europe. I had the option to study in USA for my PhD. Looking at the current situation, I am very happy with my decision to stay in Europe. Public transport is great, language is not a problem in big cities, and food/wine/beer/cheese is amazing.
How reciprocal are international study opportunities? What I mean is:<p>Do US students have similar opportunities to study at foreign universities as foreign students have to study at US universities?<p>When comparing universities with similar entrance requirements (e.g. state schools, prestigious private schools, ivy league, etc.) are there a comparable number of US and foreign openings?<p>How often is instruction in English? (I realize this isn't entirely fair, but the reality is that high quality foreign language training isn't available at many US schools in the same way it is in Europe; which isn't the student's fault).<p>It seems to me that if the opportunities are not symmetrical then it is reasonable for there to be at least some protection/preference for domestic students. However, I think that needs to be balanced against the benefits of attracting foreign talent and expanding diversity. Either way, my understanding is that the US visa system is largely irrational and broken so it should definitely be reformed.
My previous employer hired F1 grads not bc they were better but bc they were cheaper. I know that bc I interviewed hires (it’s hard to resist for employers the idea that they can get two guys for almost the price of one).<p>these opt programs should be regulated same way they do H1, or better eliminate them. If you really want these graduates to stay and work in the country, just give them permanent residency from the start. It’s better for everyone.
As someone who got his OPT extension before this cluster but still got his H1B rejected, it's safe to say I will <i>highly</i> discourage anyone I know from coming to the States for higher studies. Especially from India, since the Trump USCIS seems to have a special hatred towards Indians (because of outsourced workers abusing H1B? But that's not even the same people).<p>Till recently I felt guilty of the fact that every smart person I ever grew up knowing had emmigrated to the States and left India behind, but maybe this is a good thing for India now? Not sure yet.
Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,<p>With conquering limbs astride from land to land;<p>Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand<p>A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame<p>Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name<p>Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand<p>Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command<p>The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.<p>“Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she<p>With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor,<p>Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,<p>The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.<p>Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,<p>I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”