August 1st 2023.
International students hoping to study in the United States are facing significant hurdles. According to NBC News, students from Africa and some South American countries are being denied visas at higher rates than those from any other region of the world. Data from Shorelight and the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration shows that F-1 student visa denials for African students have risen dramatically since 2015. South America isn’t far behind, with denials doubling in the past 10 years.
COVID-19 has had an effect on visa denials, too. While certain countries, such as Australia, China, Brazil, South Africa, and certain European countries have been unaffected, visa denials have grown around the world. A State Department spokesperson said the number of student visas issued in 2022 was the highest since 2016, with over 30,000 F-1 visas being approved for African students.
However, this number doesn’t tell the whole story. According to Inside Higher Ed, Rajika Bhandari – a senior advisor at the Presidents’ Alliance – said that the data confirms what they have long suspected: that students from the Global South are being denied visas at higher rates than students from other regions. She went on to say that the denial rates for African students in particular are “strikingly high”.
Researchers believe that F-1 denials can occur due to students being unprepared for the visa interview process or a lack of adequate funding to complete a U.S. education. Shockingly though, even students who have been admitted to graduate programs and have secured the funds needed to study in the U.S. are being denied visas at a rate of 40%.
It’s clear that something needs to be done in order to make the visa process more accessible for international students. It’s vital that students are able to access the education they need, regardless of their country of origin.
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