There is global talent poised to study and succeed in the US, yet visa issues often deny these students entry, the analysis reveals. From 2015 to 2022, F-1 visa denials grew significantly worldwide, with African countries experiencing the highest rejection rates.
A new report from the Presidents’ Alliance and Shorelight has found that students in countries of the Global South are more likely to be denied visas when attempting to study in the United States than those from other regions.
The Global South is made up of countries in Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean, much of Asia, and Oceania, according to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. Israel, Japan, and South Korea are excluded from this definition, as are Australia and New Zealand.
The report titled “The Interview of a Lifetime: An analysis of visa denials and international student flows to the US” used data from the past eight years to examine policy trends under three presidential administrations. It aims to support evidence-based decision-making in visa adjudication.
As the new analysis has revealed, there is global talent poised to study and succeed in the US, yet visa issues often deny these students entry. According to Rajika Bhandari, senior advisor at the Presidents’ Alliance, “International students today overcome many hurdles to study in the US, but a visa represents the ultimate barrier to entry that can thwart the dreams and potential of these students while also shortchanging U.S. institutions, the workforce, and our economy. Everybody loses when a well-qualified student is denied a visa.”
From 2015 to 2022, F-1 visa denials grew significantly worldwide, with African countries experiencing the highest rejection rates. South Asia, parts of the Middle East, and other regions also saw higher denials. The only exceptions were Australia, China, Brazil, South Africa, and some European countries.
The Presidents’ Alliance policy advisor Jill Welch called for government and higher education leaders to address the “disparate outcomes” of student visa applications revealed in the recent report.
“The U.S. government, and the [Biden] Administration in particular, has made some important improvements in visa processing; now we need to build on those improvements to ensure greater equity so that the US can benefit from the potential of these students from the Global South, and the African continent in particular. The inability to secure a visa should never stand in the way of qualified students being able to pursue a U.S. educational degree,” she said.
The report outlines comprehensive policy recommendations for improving visa issuance for students from the Global South and international students.
Shelley Landry, Senior Director of Government Affairs at Shorelight, has warned that the US is losing out on international student numbers due to its high rate of visa denials in Africa and the Global South. “As demand for studying abroad grows worldwide, the US must improve its visa policies to attract talented international students and enrich our classrooms, communities, and the economy,” she said.
The Presidents’ Alliance held a webinar on July 26 to discuss the findings of its report on student visa denials, as well as potential policy solutions and their human impacts. Speakers included 8B Education Investments CEO Lydiah Kemunto Bosire, MPOWER Financing Head of Africa Business Development Munya Chiura, Shorelight Senior Director of Government Affairs Shelley Landry, Case Western Reserve University North Star Distinguished Professor and Associate Provost Paul Zeleza, Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration Senior Advisor Rajika Bhandari, and Senior Policy Advisor Jill Welch.
