Several US universities issue travel advisories for international students and staff ahead of Trump’s inauguration

US universities sound warnings, ask international students to return before Trump takes oath

Several major American universities are urging their international students and staff to return to the US before President-elect Donald Trump‘s inauguration on January 20, citing concerns over potential travel bans that could be enacted by his administration.

As Trump prepares to take office, the universities are advising those who may be traveling abroad to consider returning early in anticipation of possible disruptions to international travel.

The concerns stem from the President-elect’s pledge to implement a series of executive orders on his first day in office, with a particular focus on immigration and the economy.

Associate Dean and Director at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) International Students Office David Elwell in a post following the presidential elections said that with every election, “when there is a change in administration on the federal level there can be changes in policies, regulations, and legislation that impacts higher education as well as immigration and visa status matters”.

Elwell urged students to assess their travel plans over the upcoming winter break, noting that new executive orders under Trump may impact travel and visa processing.

In addition, election transitions also impact staffing levels at US Embassies/ Consulates abroad, which could impact entry visa processing times.

“Students who would need to apply for a new entry visa at the US Embassy/ Consulate abroad to return to the US in their student status should assess the possibility of facing any extensive processing times and have a backup plan if they must travel abroad and wait for a new entry visa to be issued. Any processing delays could impact students’ ability to return to the US as planned,” Elwell said.

The Office of Global Affairs at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, in an advisory recommended that its “international community– including all international students, scholars, faculty, and staff under UMass immigration sponsorship” strongly consider returning to the US before the presidential inauguration if they are planning on travelling internationally during the winter holiday break.

While noting that this was not a requirement or mandate from UMass, nor was it based on any current US government policy or recommendation, the university added that “given that a new presidential administration can enact new policies on their first day in office (January 20) and based on previous experience with travel bans that were enacted in the first Trump administration in 2017”, the Office of Global Affairs is making this advisory out of an abundance of caution to hopefully prevent any possible travel disruption to members of our international community.

“We are not able to speculate on what a travel ban will look like if enacted, nor can we speculate on what particular countries or regions of the world may or may not be affected.” The Wesleyan Argus, the college newspaper of Wesleyan University, said in a report that the university has been “evaluating the potential future impacts” of the Trump administration on international and undocumented students.

“Much uncertainty surrounds the possible changes to American immigration policy that could be enacted by the Trump administration beginning January 20, 2025.” The report added that Wesleyan’s Office of International Student Affairs (OISA) has been “concerned about sweeping policy changes” that could be implemented soon after Trump’s inauguration.

“With the presidential inauguration happening on Monday, January 20, 2025, and uncertainties around President-elect Donald Trump’s plans for immigration-related policy, the safest way to avoid difficulty re-entering the country is to be physically present in the US on January 19 and the days thereafter of the spring semester,” an email sent on November 18 to international students studying under the F-1 visa read, according to the Wesleyan Argus report.

According to the Open Doors 2024 Report on International Educational Exchange, India has surpassed China as the leading country of origin for international students in the US for the first time since 2009. In the 2023/2024 academic year, India sent 331,602 students, marking a 23% increase from the previous year.

China, which remained the second-largest source, saw a 4% decline to 277,398 students but continued to lead in sending undergraduates (87,551) and non-degree students (5,517). Together, India and China account for over half of all international students in the US (54%).

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