How Coronavirus is Affecting F1 Visa Holders in the U.S.

While the coronavirus pandemic is being covered far and wide in the news, little to no attention is being paid to the F1 visa international students in the U.S. The virus has been impacting the international student community in ways these students were not prepared for and that U.S. universities are largely unprepared to deal with. 

Read on to learn more, or check out our video Coronavirus impact on students studying in the US! Effects on F1 Visa Holders?

Impact of Coronavirus in International Students

With more than 26% of U.S. college students being F1 visa holders, these problems are affecting a significant portion of the students. Ways the coronavirus is impacting international students include, but are not limited to: 

School Closures

To help slow the spread of Coronavirus, many schools have closed and asked all of the students to vacate the facilities. And while some schools are working with international students to find housing, many students are simply being left with nowhere to go. Unlike their American counterparts, international students rarely have family in the U.S. to rely on in crisis times and with travel bans in effect, many cannot return home at this time. 

You can see an updated list of affected schools here. 

Travel Bans

Coronavirus travel bans, too, have impacted international students. As mentioned above, international students don’t often have family in the U.S. and travel home when school is out for the summer or for holidays. Under normal circumstances, F1 students would travel home for the duration of a school closure, but due to the current travel bans, many cannot return home. Presently, travel bans are affecting F1 students from:

• China
• Italy
• South Korea
• Iran
• Singapore 
• Japan
• Mongolia
• Hong Kong
• Mexico
• And most of Europe

You can read more about the coronavirus travel bans here. 

Financially

The school closures that have resulted from Coronavirus have also hit international students financially. Typically, F1 students pay twice as much, if not more, than their American counterparts for their education. That tuition money, however, has already been paid to the university. For those international students who’ve taken loans to pay for school, the delay in courses means a delay in graduation, which in turn means those students will end up paying even more for their education when the extra interest is accounted for. 

Spring Semester

For those international students slated to start school in the spring of 2020, the reality is that they will likely not start then. With the aforementioned travel bans and school closures, the 2020 spring semester at many schools is likely not to start on-time. This means new students will not begin courses as planned.

What Can International Students Do?

While the impact of Coronavirus on international students has been large, there are some things you can do during this time to lessen the impact, including:

Understand Your School’s Evolving Policies

A lot is changing and evolving in terms of policy at universities in response to the threat of Coronavirus. It’s important for you to stay up-to-date on what these changes are, how they are being implemented, and how they will affect you. You’ll want to pay particularly close attention to policies and changes regarding classes and housing, as those are the two most expensive aspects of an international student’s U.S. education. 

Virtual Classes

In an effort to keep classes on schedule, some universities have quickly adopted virtual classes in lieu of traditional in-person classes. If your university is offering virtual classes, take advantage of them to ensure that you stay on-track for graduation so that you do not incur more interest on any loans you’ve taken to pay for school. 

Utilize University Housing Options

As mentioned above, many universities have closed and have asked students to vacate the facilities for the duration. Many of these schools, and the schools that have not shut down entirely, are working diligently to find housing solutions, especially for international students, who are especially at-risk of homelessness under the current circumstances. Stay up-to-date on any services and procedures your school is offering and developing to tackle housing issues and take advantage of them. 

Pay Attention to Your Planned Travel

With travel bans being implemented, many international students won’t be able to travel home for breaks, holidays, and school closures. This is particularly true for Chinese, Korean, and European F1 students right now. If you’ve made plans to travel and cannot as a result of the Coronavirus travel bans, be diligent about recovering the money you spent on plane tickets, hotels, and other travel accommodations. Many airlines and hotels are offering full refunds in light of the present situation, but you’ll want to act fast, in case there is a specific window you need to act within to get a full refund. 

Utilize Free Medical Screenings Offered by Your School

Take advantage of any free medical screening services your school is providing to ensure that you are in good health and have not contracted Coronavirus. You can also use these screenings to find out if you have contracted the virus and begin to take the steps necessary to secure your health and to prevent the transmission of the virus to others. 

PLEASE NOTE: If you are experiencing Coronavirus-like symptoms or have traveled recently to one of the affected countries, you should follow the CDC’s self-quarantine guidelines.

The Takeaway

Coronavirus has seemingly come out of nowhere and is affecting the lives of people the world over. F1 international students are feeling it’s harmful effects, in particular. If Coronavirus is affecting your education or health, it is important that you take the steps outlined in this article to ensure that the impact is minimized. 

Frank Gogol

I’m a firm believer that information is the key to financial freedom. On the Stilt Blog, I write about the complex topics — like finance, immigration, and technology — to help immigrants make the most of their lives in the U.S. Our content and brand have been featured in Forbes, TechCrunch, VentureBeat, and more.

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