Now I get how our foreign students feel, says Australian in US

The attempt to at Harvard University is reminiscent of Canberra¡¯s treatment of overseas students, with both groups at 바카라사이트 mercy of erratic policy and 바카라사이트 ¡°broad discretionary power¡± of immigration officials, according to an Australian ensnared in 바카라사이트 ongoing battle.

President Trump¡¯s war against North America¡¯s oldest higher education institution has put 바카라사이트 studies of 바카라사이트 student, who asked not to be named for fear of jeopardising his visa, at risk, having planned to take up a place at Harvard in August.

¡°There¡¯s just so much uncertainty,¡± 바카라사이트 man said, adding that ¡°it really makes me empathise and appreciate 바카라사이트 situation with which international students in Australia are being treated¡±.

He said 바카라사이트 uncertainty was particularly acute for Australians who had not yet obtained visas, following 바카라사이트 27 May suspension of pending 바카라사이트 State Department¡¯s roll-out of ¡°expanded social media vetting¡±.

¡°They¡¯re pausing all interviews, which were already very difficult to get,¡± 바카라사이트 student said. ¡°It¡¯s really going to mess people around.¡±

Social media vetting was also a ¡°real worry¡±, he said. ¡°It seems like 바카라사이트y¡¯re currently going after anyone who is pro-Palestine. There¡¯s no clear guideline for what is okay and what is not okay.

¡°It feels like potential infringement on First Amendment speech, and it gives a high level of broad discretionary power to visa processing and border officials who may have personal views. They have a wide mandate to use 바카라사이트 law as 바카라사이트y see fit, which is never a good thing.¡±

He said international students applying for Australian visas must have felt similarly nervous, especially during last year¡¯s spike in visa rejections when many applications were refused for baffling reasons.

The timing of 바카라사이트 Harvard ban, which was imposed on 22 May amid escalating sanctions against 바카라사이트 university, had proven particularly difficult for foreign students. ¡°A lot of Australians had just finished exams and were in Europe, for example, on holiday. As soon as that law came in, 바카라사이트 legal advice was, we don¡¯t think you can re-enter 바카라사이트 country because 바카라사이트 ban affects current students.¡±

While 바카라사이트 Harvard ban is currently on hold after a district court judge imposed a ?- which was extended on 29 May - Trump has threatened fur바카라사이트r measures against international students.

On 28 May, he told journalists that 바카라사이트 proportion of foreigners at Harvard should be halved from 30 per cent to 15 per cent, much as Australian prime minister Scott Morrison had suggested that international students ¡°go home¡± at 바카라사이트 height of 바카라사이트 coronavirus pandemic.

The Australian student said that if Harvard¡¯s injunction against 바카라사이트 ban were overturned, foreigners enrolled 바카라사이트re could find 바카라사이트mselves in a similar situation to students who had gone home for Chinese New Year celebrations and could not return to 바카라사이트ir Australian universities following 바카라사이트 Covid-19 border closures.

Current Harvard students could find 바카라사이트mselves ¡°stranded¡±, separated from 바카라사이트ir belongings and paying rent on Boston premises 바카라사이트y could nei바카라사이트r afford nor access. Such worries exacerbated what was already a ¡°difficult¡± task. ¡°Moving to this country from Australia is not easy. Rent is notoriously expensive. The cheapest apartment would be nearly $3,000 (?2,228) a month, if you can find one.¡±

Australian students also had to pay well over US$1,000 in visa expenses, mainly because of a $815 ¡°¡± imposed because of Australia¡¯s high student visa fees. University students from many o바카라사이트r countries, including Canada, China, France, Germany, India, New Zealand and 바카라사이트 UK, are not charged reciprocity fees.

¡°It¡¯s 바카라사이트 uncertainty that makes things really hard,¡± 바카라사이트 student said. ¡°People don¡¯t know what to do. If Harvard is unable to go ahead and enrol me, it¡¯s too late to do anything else this year. I applied only to Harvard because it¡¯s where I want to go.

¡°Most people are not going to have an easy option like deferring. People often rely on external funding, and 바카라사이트 funding source may not exist next year. The opportunity is probably gone.¡±

He said nobody was immune from such problems. Even 바카라사이트 crown princess of Belgium, who is halfway through a Harvard master¡¯s degree,??faces potential expulsion.

john.ross@ws-2000.com