By Eli Soderberg
For international students chasing the American dream, an F-1 student visa is supposed to be the golden ticket. But as policies threatens to change, uncertainty grows and some students are left wondering whether they will make it to graduation.
This spring semester, UNCP reached its highest number of international students, with 258 enrolled, according to the Office of Institutional Research. That’s a significant number for a university of its size, said Janna Fahmy, immigration specialist at UNCP. She credits UNCP’s small class size and affordability for the growing number.
On a bigger scale, U.S. colleges had about 1.1 million international students during the 2023/2024 academic year, a 7% increase from the previous academic year according to the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs; and the Institute of International Education. The rise underscores the continuous appeal of an American education, despite ongoing immigration challenges.
“There are way better opportunities when you have a degree from a United States university compared to like a Latin America university,” said a UNCP student from Venezuela.
Yet, while international enrollment grows, concerns about visa policies and immigration restrictions linger. The ability to study in the U.S. relies on securing and maintaining a valid visa; a process that is lengthy and demanding for all applicants but significantly more difficult for some nationalities.
An analysis made by the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration showed that African countries (with the exception for South Africa) face the highest visa denial rates, averaging 57% with some differences by sub-region. The Global South follows. At UNCP, 106 out of the 258 international students are from Africa, 48 are from South America, and 72 are from other countries included in the Global South.
Data from the Office of Institutional Research shows that UNCP’s current international students come from 56 countries. Students from England, New Zealand, Canada, Italy, Nigeria and Spain reported that their biggest challenges were long waiting times and extensive travels to secure their visas. However, for others the challenge is greater.
The UNCP student from Venezuela, for example, had to travel to Colombia to apply for her visa since Venezuela doesn’t have an American Embassy. All that travel only to be denied a visa without explanation. Now she must renew her visa while in the U.S. and fear rejection despite being an active student.
The Office of Global Engagement at UNCP, deals with a lot of worried students in a climate of rising uncertainties, said Fahmy. However, she emphasizes that there is no substantial change yet that gives reason to adapt the way they advise students.
“We try to answer what we know, but then also not feed into that worry if there is no need to,” she said.
Students come to the U.S. because it presents them with better opportunities than in their home countries. The Venezuelan studentis one of the international students who always pictured her future in the U.S. and said, “I know I can’t go back to Venezuela. There is no future in Venezuela for young people; not right now at least.” However, with uncertainty lingering she has started considering Europe as a plan B.
“But my plan A would be to stay in USA. I want to stay here, but I don’t know if it’s going to be possible,” she said.
Beyond personal aspirations, international students contribute significantly to the U.S. economy. According to a NAFSA’s analysis conducted by JB International, the 1.1 million international students contributed $43.8 billion to the U.S. economy during the 2023/2024 academic year and supported more than 378,000 jobs.
At UNCP, STEM majors remain the most popular among international students. STEM typically refers to disciplines in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. At UNCP we could include nursing. In spring 2025, the top three STEM majors are nursing, 48 students; computer science, 45; and biology, 15, according to data from Office of Institutional Research. The U.S. relies heavily on international graduates to fill gaps in the fast-growing STEM industries, with research from the Educational Testing Service indicating that international students comprised 60% of STEM graduates in 2019.
One factor driving F-1 visa students toward STEM degrees is the STEM Optional Practical Training (OPT) program. While all F-1 students can apply for 12 months of OPT post-graduation, those in STEM fields can apply for a 24-month extension.
Beyond academics, some international students come to the U.S. to fulfill athletic dreams. UNCP has 31 international student-athletes,and some coaches rely heavily on international recruitment. Changes to immigration policies could impact this process, though, for now, officials say there’s no immediate cause for concern.
“I would say if there was any major changes, I guess it could be a concern but not as of right now,” said Christina Chow, director for compliance in the athletics department.
The text above was written on March 26. Since then, over 1,000 student visas have been revoked and causing students’ worries to grow. One student who wasn’t overly worried in March has expressed increasing anxiety as regulations become stricter.
“Now I am scared to get deported every day, even if I did nothing wrong,” she said.
As of April 18, over 240 colleges and universities have identified 1,550-plus international students and recent graduates who have had their legal status changed by the State Department, according to an Inside Higher Ed analysis. In North Carolina 20 student visas have been revoked as of April 18. Still the number at UNCP is zero.
According to the New York Times, trafficking violations and participation in protest against the war in Gaza have become cause for visa review.
For now, the international students at UNCP will keep studying and pursuing their dreams, and crossing their fingers they will make it to graduation.