Cover Story: Degrees of Uncertainty Make Chinese Students Rethink the Benefits of a U.S. Education

Trump’s visa threats have shattered the ambitions of many Chinese students wanting to study in the U.S.

On May 22, Harvard’s authority to enroll new international students was suspended

Meng Qiyuan felt a surge of relief on June 3 when a blue slip of paper handed to him at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing confirmed his F-1 student visa approval. The document cleared a crucial hurdle for the aspiring MBA student preparing to attend a top American business school this fall.

Others have not been as fortunate. Li Shuang, who plans to pursue a Ph.D. in environmental studies, received a white slip during his May interview in Hong Kong — an indication of extended administrative review. His visa status remains in limbo.

These differing experiences underscore a broader sense of unpredictability among the 300,000 Chinese nationals currently enrolled in or aspiring to attend colleges in the United States. Policy shifts — including expanded social media scrutiny and the threat of revoking visas for students in vaguely defined “critical fields” — are prompting more and more people to reconsider the viability of an American education.

Changing policy landscape

The pressure increased dramatically in late May.