New Foreign Students Not Allowed in Online-Only Programs: US
Trump is reportedly keen on presenting in-person classes as an indication of return to normalcy.
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The Immigration and Customs Department of the United States (US) announced a policy change on Friday, 24 July, banning admission of any new foreign student in any online-only study program, reported news agency AFP.
This development comes days after the Trump administration revoked an order compelling foreign students with no in-person classes in America to leave the country, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, after top universities challenged it in court.
According to the AFP report, the Trump administration’s latest ban on new foreign students seeking admission in online-only programs is being viewed as an attempt to put pressure on educational institutions to resume in-person classes.
While the fall semester plans for most US colleges are unclear at the moment, Harvard University has maintained that, barring rare exceptions, all classes for the 2020-21 session will be conducted online, reported AFP.
More than 1,44,000 people have reportedly died in the US due to COVID-19.
(With inputs from AFP.)
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