When one USC computer science major thinks about their future in the United States, a nagging worry keeps coming up: “There aren’t enough resources to actually help us get to a point of success in our post-grad lives.”
The student is not alone. Interviews this semester with some of USC’s nearly 12,000 international students revealed a common sentiment: International students are navigating an increasingly precarious system, and they don’t feel the university is prepared to guide them through it.
While Warren Wu, a freshman geodesign major from Toronto, said USC made his initial F-1 visa application process “very simple” with clear instructions and steady communication, students closer to graduation say the support fades when they need it most: during the transition into the work force.
A business administration major who requested anonymity out of fear that speaking publicly may jeopardize their future visa or job prospects in the U.S. said that while USC occasionally updates students about major policy changes, communication is inconsistent. They first learned about updated H-1B visa costs through social media – not through the university. The Office of International Services still has not released an update on this change.
“They could be a little more informative on that stuff,” the student said. “I think USC could do a much better job.”
A sophomore transfer student from Singapore who requested anonymity out of fear of even being flagged at airport immigration, strongly agrees.
“I think I sent at least 20 emails total … both to USC and my previous university,” the transfer student said. “[From USC], the information just wasn’t consistent. They’d just direct me to their website, which was unclear and didn’t have the same information on all parts of it, so it was confusing.”
In terms of being sent instructions per email, the student said they only received one “about being careful when coming back to the US, and that was it.”
Despite these concerns, USC points to a wide range of institutional resources for international students. OIS houses a comprehensive website directing students through pre-arrival processes of applying for visas and navigating life at USC. Students can find information on travel, maintaining visa status, working while studying and more.
OIS’s “News & Updates” feed alerts students to relevant policy shifts but remained dormant for most of the semester, between Sept. 1 and Nov. 13. The office did not respond when asked to comment on the lack of information.
In addition to informational resources, USC has established formal policy protections. USC’s policy “Responding to Immigration Enforcement Actions” establishes protocol for students or employees subject to investigation, detainment, or removal by federal authorities by outlining immediate response measures and long-term protections. The policy also protects the privacy of immigration and citizenship information.
USC has taken a stance on broader policy demands that threaten international students. In October, USC declined Trump’s Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education. Among other items, the compact demanded USC cap its undergraduate international student enrollment at 15% in exchange for preferential federal funding. This would have required significant cuts from the current 26% enrollment.
The computer science major asserted that while USC’s decision to decline the compact “is a step in the right direction,” more needs to be done. Students described having to navigate employment and work visa applications largely on their own, noting that USC’s resources are “better than nothing” but often limited to what’s already publicly available online.
The challenges USC students described extend far beyond campus. Within the past year, the federal government has introduced a series of policy changes that have reshaped the landscape for international students nationwide.
In May, the U.S. Department of State paused student visa interviews, making way for the introduction of new social media vetting policies for applicants. To ensure candidates “do not intend to harm Americans and our national interests,” the expanded screening and vetting procedures require visa applicants to publicize all social media profiles. Yet, no further direction was given as to what practices and posts “pose a threat to U.S. national security.”
The USC business administration major expressed concern over the updated social media standards.
“There’s no privacy, protection or any of that rubbish anymore,” the student said. “A lot of people have been cleaning their social media … I don’t even [hit the like button on] political posts.”
In June, Secretary of State Marco Rubio sent out guidance to international officers who review visa applications. Rubio instructed officers to watch for “a history of political activism” but also said “limited access to, or visibility of, online presence could be construed as an effort to evade or hide certain activity.” Visa candidates must now balance their digital footprint so that it is not too large or too small.
Even long-term visa holders face an unpredictable future. More than 6,000 student visas have been revoked by the State Department, many rescinded due to participation in pro-Palestinian protests and encampments.
Adding new layers of uncertainty, the administration’s most recent proposal to end “duration of status” — a policy that allows international students to remain in the U.S. for the entirety of their studies without constant visa renewals — would impose fixed caps on international student stays. This action further limits flexibility and comfort in the ability of overseas students to remain in the U.S. in the coming years.
Fears escalate as international students begin hunting for jobs after graduation. In September, a presidential proclamation demanded an additional $100,000 in petition fees for H-1B sponsors. This means that employers have to pay enormous sums to hire overseas workers.
For USC international students nearing graduation, this is one of the most pressing changes implemented by the Trump administration, even causing some to alter their plans following graduation.
“I’ve shifted my focus from looking at jobs in the U.S. to looking back at home,” the business administration major said. “I don’t think a company is going to sponsor or pay that much money if they don’t have to.”
Furthermore, a proposal recently added to the public regulatory agenda for the Department of Homeland Security calls for the restriction or ending of the Optional Practical Training program, which provides temporary work authorization for international students with F-1 visas after graduation. If accepted, these changes could go into effect as soon as the end of the year, narrowing the available opportunities for international students to gain work experience or connect with potential H-1B sponsors even further.
The Trump administration’s hostile rhetoric and policies do more than just shape public opinion; they alter the perceptions and decisions of prospective international students, experts say.
For an EdSource article on declining international student enrollment, Fanta Aw, the CEO of the National Association of Foreign Student Administrators, explained that the administration’s restrictive policy decisions are “creating a climate for international students that signals that you’re not welcome here.”
Substantiating Aw’s claim, a survey from Keystone Education Group found that of the 600 prospective international students surveyed, 42% said they are less likely to study in the US after the most recent election.
According to the Institute for International Education’s Fall 2025 Snapshot on International Student Enrollment, new international student enrollments have decreased by 17%, with 57% of universities observing a decrease in overseas enrollment. Of the 828 higher education institution respondents, the majority cite visa application concerns and travel restrictions as key deterrents.
NAFSA reports that even a 15% drop in overall international student enrollment could cost the U.S. almost $7 billion and 60,000 jobs. With over 158,000 active international students as of October, California stands to lose more than any other state: more than $1 billion, NAFSA estimates.
USC alone accounts for nearly 8% of California’s total international student population, currently enrolling 11,959 international students. They represent 26.1% of the university’s total student body. Yet, conversations with some of these students find them feeling unsupported amid growing national uncertainty.
In response to an email seeking comment about these concerns, USC officials wrote in a statement to Annenberg Media that the school values “the talent international students bring to the university and the country, fueling research, innovation, and long-term economic growth,” expressing that USC is “concerned that the new H-1B petition fee will undermine these national interests and have communicated this concern to policymakers.”
Still, when asked if USC truly stands behind its international students, the business administration student answered, “No, I don’t think they care, quite honestly.”
Navigating visas and employment in the U.S. has become, as the computer science major put it, a “cycle of stress,” and many students are constantly dreading what rules will be changed next.