International Student and Scholar

Media outlets are reporting that the U.S. Department of State has temporarily paused making new visa appointments available for F and J students and scholars until it issues further guidance on an expansion of social media screening and vetting of student and scholar visa applicants. Reports say this pause does not affect those who have already scheduled interviews.

The University of Michigan has not received an official announcement about this from the State Department.

In mid-May, the Department of Homeland Security’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program began to send some F-1 students on Optional Practical Training (OPT) a letter titled “Student and Exchange Visitor Program: Notice of Failure to Report Optional Practical Training Employer and Exceeding Permissible Period of Unemployment." This letter advises students they’ve “been participating in Optional Practical Training (OPT) for more than 90 days but have not reported any employer information.” The notice states: “If your SEVIS record is not updated within 15 days of the date of this notice, SEVP w

At this point, there are no specific travel restrictions for green card holders at U-M to be aware of, though they may be implemented in the future.**  As you can imagine, we're following the developments in this area quite closely and we appreciate the anxiety felt by Legal Permanent Residents who are considering traveling abroad.

Over the past few days, the International Center has learned that some current U-M students and recent graduates have had their student visas revoked and/or their SEVIS records terminated.  The SEVIS record termination was done by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) without notification to the university or to the students. Visa revocations are issued by the Department of State (DoS) and communicated directly to the students, without notification to the university.

The University of Michigan International Center is hosting two in-country Pre-Departure Orientations (PDO) for new international students and family members in China (Shanghai and Beijing) in May 2026.

The University of Michigan International Center will host an in-country Pre-Departure Orientation (PDO) on May 31 in Mumbai, India! The International Center is seeking volunteers to serve as PDO Student Leaders. Student Leaders will share valuable information with new students and their parents in order to prepare them for their arrival in Ann Arbor. This is a great professional development opportunity!

The University of Michigan International Center is excited to host a Pre-Departure Orientation (PDO) for new international students and parents on Friday, June 19, 2026 in Seoul, South Korea. The International Center is seeking PDO Student Leaders to volunteer for this event. Student Leaders will share valuable information with new students and their parents in order to prepare them for their arrival in Ann Arbor. They will also gain experience developing skills in public speaking and peer-mentorship through this exciting opportunity to represent U-M abroad!

The University of Michigan International Center is excited to host a Pre-Departure Orientation (PDO) for new international students and parents on Sunday, June 14, 2026 in Taipei, Taiwan. The International Center is seeking PDO Student Leaders to volunteer for this event. Student Leaders will share valuable information with new students and their parents in order to prepare them for their arrival in Ann Arbor. They will also gain experience developing skills in public speaking and peer-mentorship through this exciting opportunity to represent U-M abroad!