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NDTV
4 days ago
- Politics
- NDTV
Facing US Student Visa Issues In 2025? Expert Advice, Alternatives, And What Comes Next
Navigating the complexities of US student visas can be daunting, especially when faced with unexpected challenges. From visa denials to regulatory changes, international students often find themselves in uncertain situations. In this series, we are exploring the most pressing questions and concerns, providing expert insights, practical advice, and guidance for students, parents, and educators alike. NDTV's Ambika Singh Kahma speaks to Abhinav Nath, an education expert, who holds a certification in International College Advising from the University of Pennsylvania, about the current challenges surrounding US student visas and the way forward for affected students: Question 1. If a student has an I-20 visa but can't go to the US due to visa denial, what options do they have? Abhinav Nath: If a student has an I-20 but cannot apply for a visa right now due to the recent pause, they should wait patiently for appointments to resume-it is certain they will. If the visa has been denied, try to investigate what went wrong during the interview process. Consider what question the visa officer asked that may have led to the denial. Reapply and prepare better for your interview. Alongside this, consider options in the UK, Europe, and even Australia, where the first semester (official academic year) begins in January/February. Question 2. How will recent changes in F-1 visa regulations impact international students in the US? Abhinav Nath: New F-1 changes have primarily impacted students planning to go in August/September 2025. The most significant change is the pause on visa appointments as an additional step of social media vetting is being introduced. Whether you're a future student or currently enrolled, being mindful of political activism is important. Anything that can be perceived as anti-nationalism by the US can endanger your F-1 visa status. Additionally, students must not break any laws, including missing classes. The US Embassy in India released a statement along these lines earlier this week (see below). Question 3. What are the alternatives for students who have admission in the US but are struggling to get a visa? Abhinav Nath: Be patient-visa appointments will become available. If you need alternatives, consider UK universities; many still have seats open. Explore European universities as well, many of which have rolling applications (e.g., IE Business School). Indian liberal arts colleges like FLAME and Krea also have final rounds open until mid-June. Lastly, Australia's academic year begins in January/February, so if students are open to a six-month gap, they can apply for the Jan/Feb intake. There are many options-stay positive about the US! Question 4. Can students with an I-20 pursue online courses from their home country, and will it affect their visa status? Abhinav Nath: If you have an I-20 and the F-1 visa but choose to take online courses from your home country, your I-20 status should remain valid. However, once you enter the US, your F-1 visa and SEVIS record become active, and to maintain that status, you must be enrolled full-time and attend in-person classes. Question 5. How can students prepare for potential visa interviews, and what are the most common questions asked? Abhinav Nath: Know why you selected the college you're attending-what makes it stand out? Understand your reasons for pursuing your chosen course. Be clear on how you or your parents will fund your education, and think through your future plans after graduation. You should be able to clearly articulate all of this during your interview. Question 6. What are the implications of visa delays or rejections on students' academic and career plans? Abhinav Nath: If there are visa delays, your university may allow a late arrival or give you the option to defer for a semester or a year, depending on whether they offer a Spring (January) intake. If your visa is rejected, reapply. If it's rejected twice, I recommend exploring other countries and institutions. From a career perspective, even in the worst-case scenario, one gap year won't cost you much-especially if you use it productively. Question 7. Are there any alternative countries or universities that students can consider if they're facing challenges with US visas? Abhinav Nath: Yes. As mentioned earlier, the UK, India, Europe, and Australia all offer excellent alternatives. Question 8. What happens if a student decides to join the university in the next term instead of the current one-can they use the same I-20, or do they need to apply for a new one? Abhinav Nath: Typically, the university will issue a new I-20, but this is a simple process, so students need not worry. If your F-1 visa has already been issued, you may not need to apply for it again (which is a blessing), but a reissued I-20 will still be required. Question 9. What are the key factors that determine visa approval or rejection, and how can students improve their chances? Abhinav Nath: The two biggest factors I've observed over the years are: 1. Your ability to clearly explain why you value a US education and why you chose that specific college. Your reasons should be genuine and academically motivated-not based on having distant relatives in that city or state. 2. Your post-education plans must be communicated clearly. While wanting to work in the US is fine, appearing desperate to stay permanently can hurt your chances. Question 10. What should be the plan of action for a student who is going to the US this year but doesn't have an appointment yet, considering the pause on visa appointments? Abhinav Nath: I recommend three things: 1. Be patient - Appointments are expected to open soon. Keep progressing with your visa application. 2. Have a Plan B - If you have other acceptances, consider securing your place by paying deposits. If not, apply elsewhere as a backup. 3. Prepare thoroughly for your interview - The pause suggests changes are coming (e.g., social media vetting), so be well-prepared for your visa interview. Abhinav has been an Independent Education Consultant for the past 8 years. His students have enrolled in top institutes such as Princeton University, the University of Chicago, the London School of Economics, University College London, and the University of Toronto.
Zawya
20-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
NBK wraps up the closing activities of the second 'NBK RISE' cohort
This initiative goes hand in hand with NBK's strategy towards enhancing women leadership across all levels. The bank provides specialized programs tailored to support, develop, and enable women in leadership. 'NBK RISE' aims to make a sustainable impact in all sectors by establishing a diverse community of women leaders. NBK's is committed to providing equal opportunities as well as promoting diversity and inclusion in the workplace. 'NBK RISE' has earned prestigious recognition and received several awards. NBK is proud to be a pioneer in implementing equality in the workplace across its global locations. In a special visit to its final training session at the IE Business School in Spain, National Bank of Kuwait successfully wrapped up the closing activities of the nine-month-long Global Women Leadership Initiative 'NBK RISE' in its second cohort. 'NBK RISE' is a first-of-its-kind initiative specifically designed to empower women and increase their representation in higher leadership roles, which reflects the bank's commitment to achieving diversity, equity, and inclusion as per the highest international standards, and ultimately elevate women leadership institutionally, locally, regionally and globally. The second cohort is comprised of 25 female participants from diverse professional backgrounds, including local and international NBK employees, as well as representatives from NBK Wealth and representatives from prestigious regional companies such as Kuwait Petroleum Company, Ooredoo, Kuwait Banking Association, Abyat, Gulf Bank, Kuwait Financial Centre-Markaz, J's Bakery, and Intervest Capital Partner-New York. The program is divided into several training modules that aim to develop leadership and strategic skills, communication, and interaction, in addition to a focus on preparing participants to obtain exceptional leading roles in the future. The fourth and final module, focused on behavioral and impact skills, was held in collaboration with IE Business School in Madrid. Various essential topics were explored, such as Leading Conflict, Conflict Resolution, Leading Strategically, Megatrends and Future of Work, Effective Decision Maing, Delegation & Empowerment, and overall Wellbeing. Moreover, the participants had the ability to work with their executive coach from IE Business School, Madrid, to further develop their Capstone Projects in preparation for the presentations to Executive Management, reflecting the skills and knowledge gained throughout the program. In this cohort, not only did participants receive training for leadership skills, but they were also exposed to first-hand communication with global and diverse experiences, which contributed to enhancing overseas strategic collaboration and ultimately establishing a big network of women leaders across different sectors and locations. Joined by Mr. Emad Al-Ablani, Group Chief Human Resources Officer, the visit included a dinner banquet to honor His Excellency Mr. Ziyad Al-Anbai, the Ambassador of Kuwait to Spain along with several distinguished women leaders, with the attendance of Constantino De Zabala, the Director of Operations at IE Business School for the Middle East as well as the university leaders and Kuwaiti students. On the sidelines of the program's closing activities, exclusive discussions were conducted covering Human Resources topics, by Mr. Emad Al-Ablani and moderated by Professor Kriti Jain from IE, where they explored visions and global insights on the latest leadership and human resources strategies. These activities posed a remarkable opportunity for the participants to be directly in touch with distinct diplomatic and academic figures, further widening their overseas professional network. It should be noted that NBK is always keen on providing equal opportunities and promoting diversity and inclusion in the workplace through various strategic initiatives and specialized programs that aim to develop women leadership, further contributing to increasing the representation of women in leadership roles. In fact, increasing women's participation and providing them with decision-making opportunities are integral parts of international institutional strategies, especially as women are more involved in social contexts, which contributes to establishing an environment that promotes sustainable development and a positive social impact in the long run. Therefore, the 'NBK RISE' program aims to make a sustainable impact across different sectors where alumni guide ambitious future candidates, creating a sustainable cycle that enables the program to carry on and continue to make a positive impact. Moreover, it reflects NBK's commitment to enhancing gender diversity and women empowerment. It is also noteworthy that the program, which aims to enhance gender diversity and women empowerment, has earned prestigious recognition and received several awards, including MERIT's Special Recognition for 'Developing Women Leaders' and the Bronze Award for Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion from the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM) as part of the 2023 MENA Awards. NBK prides itself in following equality principles throughout its international locations, where women already occupy 43.2% of its workforce and females occupy 29.7% of national higher management roles and above. Moreover, NBK is proud that it does not implement a gender wage gap. NBK RISE is a testament to NBK Group's continuous efforts to be a global leader in corporate community advancement. In collaboration with the most prominent universities and training providers around the world, NBK is keen on providing specialized programs and workshops that aim to develop women leadership, raise awareness about gender inequality, and utilize them to increase productivity and innovation. Moreover, NBK is committed to expanding the range of diversity and inclusion to include customers, as it launched several services and products especially for female customers and entrepreneurs. NBK is committed to instilling the principle of women empowerment in the Group's professional culture by providing mentorship, continuous career development opportunities, and adopting innovative strategic insights in the field of human resources, in line with the bank's future aspirations and goals.
Kuwait Times
19-05-2025
- Business
- Kuwait Times
NBK wraps up closing activities of the second ‘NBK RISE' cohort
KUWAIT: In a special visit to its final training session at the IE Business School in Spain, National Bank of Kuwait successfully wrapped up the closing activities of the nine-month-long Global Women Leadership Initiative 'NBK RISE' in its second cohort. 'NBK RISE' is a first-of-its-kind initiative specifically designed to empower women and increase their representation in higher leadership roles, which reflects the bank's commitment to achieving diversity, equity, and inclusion as per the highest international standards, and ultimately elevate women leadership institutionally, locally, regionally and globally. The second cohort is comprised of 25 female participants from diverse professional backgrounds, including local and international NBK employees, as well as representatives from NBK Wealth and representatives from prestigious regional companies such as Kuwait Petroleum Company, Ooredoo, Kuwait Banking Association, Abyat, Gulf Bank, Kuwait Financial Centre-Markaz, J's Bakery, and Intervest Capital Partner-New York. The program is divided into several training modules that aim to develop leadership and strategic skills, communication, and interaction, in addition to a focus on preparing participants to obtain exceptional leading roles in the future. The fourth and final module, focused on behavioral and impact skills, was held in collaboration with IE Business School in Madrid. Various essential topics were explored, such as Leading Conflict, Conflict Resolution, Leading Strategically, Megatrends and Future of Work, Effective Decision Maing, Delegation & Empowerment, and overall Wellbeing. Emad Al-Ablani is pictured during a discussion session at IE University. Trainees of the NBK RISE program (From left) Emad Ablani, Lee Newman, Dean of IE University Madrid and Anmar Darmi take a group photo. Moreover, the participants had the ability to work with their executive coach from IE Business School, Madrid, to further develop their Capstone Projects in preparation for the presentations to Executive Management, reflecting the skills and knowledge gained throughout the program. In this cohort, not only did participants receive training for leadership skills, but they were also exposed to first-hand communication with global and diverse experiences, which contributed to enhancing overseas strategic collaboration and ultimately establishing a big network of women leaders across different sectors and locations. Joined by Emad Al-Ablani, Group Chief Human Resources Officer, the visit included a dinner banquet to honor Ziyad Al-Anbai, the Ambassador of Kuwait to Spain along with several distinguished women leaders, with the attendance of Constantino De Zabala, the Director of Operations at IE Business School for the Middle East as well as the university leaders and Kuwaiti students. On the sidelines of the program's closing activities, exclusive discussions were conducted covering Human Resources topics, by Emad Al-Ablani and moderated by Professor Kriti Jain from IE, where they explored visions and global insights on the latest leadership and human resources strategies. These activities posed a remarkable opportunity for the participants to be directly in touch with distinct diplomatic and academic figures, further widening their overseas professional network. It should be noted that NBK is always keen on providing equal opportunities and promoting diversity and inclusion in the workplace through various strategic initiatives and specialized programs that aim to develop women leadership, further contributing to increasing the representation of women in leadership roles. In fact, increasing women's participation and providing them with decision-making opportunities are integral parts of international institutional strategies, especially as women are more involved in social contexts, which contributes to establishing an environment that promotes sustainable development and a positive social impact in the long run. Therefore, the 'NBK RISE' program aims to make a sustainable impact across different sectors where alumni guide ambitious future candidates, creating a sustainable cycle that enables the program to carry on and continue to make a positive impact. Moreover, it reflects NBK's commitment to enhancing gender diversity and women empowerment. It is also noteworthy that the program, which aims to enhance gender diversity and women empowerment, has earned prestigious recognition and received several awards, including MERIT's Special Recognition for 'Developing Women Leaders' and the Bronze Award for Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion from the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM) as part of the 2023 MENA Awards. NBK prides itself in following equality principles throughout its international locations, where women already occupy 43.2 percent of its workforce and females occupy 29.7 percent of national higher management roles and above. Moreover, NBK is proud that it does not implement a gender wage gap. NBK RISE is a testament to NBK Group's continuous efforts to be a global leader in corporate community advancement. In collaboration with the most prominent universities and training providers around the world, NBK is keen on providing specialized programs and workshops that aim to develop women leadership, raise awareness about gender inequality, and utilize them to increase productivity and innovation. Moreover, NBK is committed to expanding the range of diversity and inclusion to include customers, as it launched several services and products especially for female customers and entrepreneurs. NBK is committed to instilling the principle of women empowerment in the Group's professional culture by providing mentorship, continuous career development opportunities, and adopting innovative strategic insights in the field of human resources, in line with the bank's future aspirations and goals.
