Dear Lori,
Late last Friday we shared news that all State Department grant funding disbursements were placed on a 15-day temporary pause, effective February 12. This includes disbursements for the Fulbright Program, the Gilman Scholarship program, the IDEAS program, and the Critical Language Scholarship Program, among other State Department-funded programs. As only implementing program partners have been notified directly of this pause, we encourage you to contact your partner directly for additional guidance. We continue to work with our international education and exchange partners to better understand the impetus for this pause and promise to keep you posted on any advocacy actions.
In the meantime, we are turning to our field to help us understand the immediate and future impact of this funding interruption and other recent executive actions. Please complete this brief questionnaire to share information and examples as to how this funding pause and executive orders related to DEI, potential extreme vetting of international students and scholars, NIH research funding, etc., are affecting your programs, students, classrooms, and communities.
On February 18, the U.S. State Department announced a change to the in-person visa interview waiver policy for nonimmigrant visa applications. The waiver eligibility window has been reduced from 48 months post-expiration date to 12 months for applicants seeking new visas in the same category, as it was during the first Trump administration. While not unexpected, this is disappointing as securing the expanded waiver window was a key advocacy win for NAFSA and the U.S. for Success Coalition during the Biden administration. Of course, it is too soon to know how this will impact student and scholar visa processing for the coming academic year, but it certainly could lead to delays due to limited appointment availability especially at high demand consulates. And making it harder for global talent to follow their dreams to the United States is harmful to the U.S. economy, innovation, and national security. We will continue to advocate for efficient and reliable visa processing for students and scholars. More information is on our website.
Meanwhile, the distressing assault on DEI in education continues. In a February 14 “Dear Colleague” letter, the Department of Education informed K-12 and higher education institutions receiving federal funds that they must “cease using race preferences and stereotypes as a factor in their admissions, hiring, promotion, compensation, scholarships, prizes, administrative support, sanctions, discipline, and beyond. Institutions that fail to comply may, consistent with applicable law, face investigation and loss of federal funding. The Department will begin assessing compliance beginning no later than 14 days from issuance of the letter.” More information is available on NAFSA’s website.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
Complete NAFSA’s online questionnaire to share as much as you can about the immediate and potential impacts of the pause on all State Department funding and other recent executive actions. For our advocacy efforts to be maximally effective, we need your help to understand the depth and breadth of the impacts of the policy changes. You may request that your responses be kept confidential and anonymous.
Celebrate National Study Abroad Day on Monday, February 24. This annual tradition is a perfect opportunity to reflect and recount the many ways that NAFSA support study abroad. Share on social media (tag @studyabroadday and @NAFSA/@nafsagram on Instagram) how you are getting in the spirit!
Thank you kindly.
Best,
Erica
Erica Stewart
Senior Director, Advocacy & Strategic Communications
NAFSA: Association of International Educators
