'Anxious, uncertain': US study plans for Singaporeans derailed by halt on new student visas

CNA

7 days ago

SINGAPORE: Music teacher Sharon had long dreamed of studying piano in the United States. With her children now grown, she finally pursued that goal – auditioning in person, enduring multiple screening rounds and securing offers from two American universities.
But on Tuesday (May 27), her plans were thrown into turmoil.
An internal cable obtained by Reuters revealed that US President Donald Trump's administration has ordered consular offices worldwide to stop scheduling new visa interviews for students and exchange visitors. The move comes as the State Department prepares to expand its vetting of applicants' social media activity.
'It's pretty disappointing. I've actually put in a lot of effort to go to America," said Sharon, who asked that her real name not be used. "The audition preparation took about a year. If I cannot go, it's going to be like a waste of … another academic year."
UNCERTAIN POLITICAL SITUATION
Many affected students, speaking to CNA on condition of anonymity due to fear of visa repercussions, expressed deep concern over the US move.
Among them is Kevin, who had accepted an offer to study computer science at a university in California. He had wanted to study in the US since junior college, he told CNA.
'My end goal was always to potentially move there and work there, because I wanted to do tech, and I think the US is the best place to do tech,' he said.
But in light of recent political developments, including a controversial move to block Harvard from enrolling foreign students, Kevin decided to 'play it safe' and enrol in a university in Singapore instead.
Before he changed his mind, he had settled most administrative matters and had just stopped short of getting his visa.
It was 'too big of a risk', especially because he would be funding his own studies, Kevin said.
'If I go, I'm always going to have this at the back of my mind, this stress about the political situation,' he said. 'So I don't think it's worth that extra stress when you're already stressing about things like finances, academics and career in uni.'
A judge has since suspended the Harvard directive pending a legal challenge from the university.
Students typically begin their visa application process shortly after accepting university offers in April or May. Sharon, for instance, is still waiting on her I-20 form, which certifies eligibility to apply for a student visa. Though she deferred enrolment to a later semester, her university had advised early visa preparation. Now, all she can do is wait to see how the situation unfolds – and scrub her social media profiles.
She has even considered deactivating her accounts, as she does not know what authorities will look for when vetting her online presence.
'I'm not young anymore,' she said. 'If I'm going to go through another round of applications … I have to prepare everything all over again. There's a lot of effort and time.'
In response to queries from CNA, the US Embassy in Singapore said visa applicants have been required to provide social media identifiers as part of the application process since 2019. A spokesperson said the State Department uses 'all available information' to screen visa applications.
"At this time, applicants may continue to submit applications," the embassy said, "as the consular section constantly adjusts schedules to allow for sufficient time to vet cases before them.'
For some, the process had already begun before the visa directive was issued. Diane, who started a graduate programme in New York, applied for her student visa in April. She received approval in May, describing the experience as "smooth".
But the latest developments have shaken her confidence.
When she accepted the university offer, she did not think the political situation would escalate to a point where the US would turn away international students, Diane said.
"I was naive and did not think it would affect me. Hence the political situation did not weigh heavily in my decision to choose a programme," she told CNA. "But right now, after the visa interview pause, I am very worried that (Trump) can ask all international students to leave on a whim," she said.
Even though she has already started school, she is wondering if she should have accepted the other offers she had from the UK and the Netherlands.
"At least with that, I will get the certainty that I won't get kicked out of the school and country for no good reason, and I'll be able to finish my degree," she said.
Education consultancies supporting students in their overseas applications said their clients are concerned but that most are staying the course – for now.
Ms Joanne Gao, regional manager at education consultancy Crimson Education, said about half of their 500 Singapore-based clients apply to US schools. While students are "definitely concerned", she said many remain committed to their plans, especially those headed to prestigious institutions like Harvard.
"None of them are rushing to change their plans," said Ms Gao. "They know how competitive it is to get into these institutions and how much work they've put in to get there."
Still, she advised students with confirmed visa interviews to keep their appointments and reminded all clients to 'carefully review their public social media profiles'.
Dr Chan Khai Leok, director of education consultancy theRightU, echoed these concerns. Of the 1,000 students his team advises annually, around 10 to 15 per cent express interest in US schools.
'Obviously, they would not be changing their minds immediately, because they would have paid a deposit. They would have committed quite a bit of time and attention to and pretty much committed to going to the US,' he said.
The consultancy has also advised its clients to be mindful of how they present themselves on social media, he said.
Dr Chan added that while those who have accepted offers are likely to stay committed, students in the process of deciding where to pursue their studies are 'more likely to turn their attention to other countries'.