This May, with the US-China trade war heating up, every international student and prospective study-abroad family has more worries than usual. Many parents anxiously ask CheersYou（清柚教育） consultants:
Will my child be denied a visa?
Will my child's studies be affected?
Are we unable to come to the US?
……
Indeed, for some time, there have been reports that "the Trump administration is restricting student visas," and even claims that some students were asked trade-war-related questions during interviews, leading directly to denials, causing great anxiety for many families.
However, after thorough investigation and inquiries by CheersYou（清柚教育）, there is some reassuring news:
Official statement from the US Embassy in China:
Welcoming Chinese students, and partnering with Alipay
Additionally, the number of F1 visas issued in March 2018 was 1,359;
in 2019, it was 1,443, an increase of 7%.
In April 2018, 3,700 F1 visas were issued,
while in 2019, the number rose to 4,281, an increase of 581, or 15%.
Judging from the visa issuance numbers, there is no need for excessive worry for now. Many top US universities have also sent welcome letters to Chinese students. For example, Yale University published a welcome letter on its official WeChat account.
UIUC even purchased insurance last year out of fear of losing Chinese students.
As the trade war escalated toward the end of May, visa reforms also made the process stricter.
Non-immigrant visa applicants to the US now need to provide their social media account information when filling out the DS-160 form, including platforms such as Tencent QQ, Sina Weibo, Douban, and Youku.
The Ministry of Education also issued Study-Abroad Warning No. 1 of 2019:
For some time, visas for certain Chinese students and scholars have been restricted, with extended review periods, shortened validity, and rising rejection rates, affecting their ability to study or complete their programs in the US.
Based on current cases, there have been no widespread visa difficulties yet. But the situation remains to be seen, and CheersYou（清柚教育） will monitor it closely and update everyone with the latest news as soon as possible.
When studying in the US, it is still necessary to be cautious in all aspects. Do not panic over rumors, but do not take it lightly either.
Here are a few tips from CheersYou（清柚教育） consultants:
1. Highly specialized and sensitive fields such as aerospace engineering, biomedicine, and cryptography remain difficult for visa approval and should be chosen with caution;
2. Apply for study abroad as early as possible—there are many advantages to applying in years with a more favorable study-abroad environment;
3. Some schools are indeed less friendly to international students, so students and parents should choose carefully.
Here is also a Pre-Departure Guide for Studying in the US, wishing all students admission to their dream schools!
