International education opens doors — but for many students, the journey to a U.S. classroom is filled with uncertainty, confusion, and avoidable risks.
Colleges and advisors are doing more than ever to help students navigate this path, but evolving visa policies, misinformation, and rising anxieties are making it harder to keep students informed and in compliance.
One recent example that captured national attention was the case of Suguru Onda, a Japanese Ph.D. student at BYU who had his F-1 visa revoked — not for academic failure or misconduct, but for a dismissed fishing citation tied to a student-organized group outing. Despite the minor nature of the incident, the visa revocation shocked many and raised new questions about how infractions are flagged and processed. Read the full story → https://www.deseret.com/utah/2025/04/16/byu-grad-student-has-student-visa-revoked
Stories like Onda’s serve as a powerful reminder: Now more than ever, we need to demystify the F-1 visa process for both students and the institutions that serve them.
Upcoming Webinar
Navigating the F-1 Visa Landscape in 2025
Preparing International Students for Success in an Era of Uncertainty
As visa denials rise and the international education climate grows more complex, community colleges face increased pressure to guide students through a system stacked with new challenges. Join us for a critical session on how institutions can ethically support international applicants while protecting their enrollment pipelines.
In this webinar, we will cover:
- Key trends affecting F-1 visa approvals and whether they’ve shifted under the current administration
- Why community college applicants face higher scrutiny—and what can be done to improve outcomes
- Common causes of visa denials and how colleges can help students avoid them
- Preparation strategies: documentation, interview language, and building student confidence
- What colleges can do when it comes to visa advising
- Q&A
This session is not about raising alarms — it’s about raising awareness. Together, we can give students the clarity and support they need to succeed not just in admissions, but all the way through their academic journeys in the U.S.
Register now to join the conversation: https://www.cognitoforms.com/CGACC3/VisaWebinarRSVPFORM
