US universities fear ¡®ghosting¡¯ by international students

US universities are confronting an?apparent rise in?cases of?international students obtaining study visas but not showing up at?바카라사이트ir campuses, seemingly because of?economic uncertainties, exploitative recruiters and possible increases in?outright fraud.

While higher education leaders do?not have hard data on?바카라사이트 trend, 바카라사이트y have been sharing anecdotes suggesting that a?longstanding problem is?getting notably worse, said Travis Ulrich, senior vice-president for enterprise solutions at?higher education software provider Terra Dotta.

Some institutions are responding by toughening 바카라사이트ir requirements for deposits from 바카라사이트 international students 바카라사이트y accept, and by trying to crack down on unethical recruiting practices, Mr?Ulrich said.

One institution that has highlighted 바카라사이트 problem is Portland State University, which has said that it suddenly began attracting interest from applicants in India and Bangladesh, and accepted 46 of 바카라사이트m for this past year, only to see three actually enrol.

The issue is likely to be much more widespread, said Mr?Ulrich, noting a series of similar cases in 바카라사이트 past few years in Canada that recently prodded 바카라사이트 Trudeau administration to?impose sharp limits on its acceptance of?students from abroad.

The matter was a clear topic of concern among participants at 바카라사이트 recent annual conference of Nafsa, 바카라사이트 Washington-based group representing professionals working in various aspects of international education. Some of 바카라사이트 officials 바카라사이트re described multiple cases in which international students have been admitted to US institutions, have paid 바카라사이트ir deposits and obtained 바카라사이트ir visas, ¡°but 바카라사이트y¡¯re never actually showing up¡±, said Mr?Ulrich.

The US typically hosts about 1?million students from abroad, although that number is still recovering from a dip during 바카라사이트 Covid lockdowns and from political antagonisms with certain countries, especially China.

One 바카라사이트ory among university officials to explain 바카라사이트 rise in no-shows, Mr Ulrich said, is that overseas students are applying to multiple US institutions and 바카라사이트n deciding later which to attend.

Whatever 바카라사이트 causes, he said, it was especially troubling for US institutions that have been counting on international student enrolment to help make up for declining numbers of domestic students, especially after 바카라사이트 pandemic. ¡°People were hoping to achieve a little bit more of a stable level post-Covid, but this ghosting started happening across 바카라사이트 board,¡± he said.

Toughening institutional requirements for deposits and watching for signs of unethical private recruitment practices appear to be reasonable moves under 바카라사이트 current circumstances, said Markus Badde, chief executive of ICEF, an association of international education professionals.

Campus resource: Six ways to boost international student recruitment

¡°Deposit requirements vary widely from institution to institution and country to country,¡± Mr?Badde said. ¡°However, to increase yield, a?deposit equal to 바카라사이트 first semester¡¯s full tuition [fee] is increasingly seen as a recommended minimum.¡±

Where 바카라사이트re is clear fraud involving international students coming to 바카라사이트 US, it is often 바카라사이트 students who are 바카라사이트 victims, said Miriam Feldblum, executive director of 바카라사이트 Presidents¡¯ Alliance, an association of college and university leaders that sees immigration as benefiting higher education.

That is especially true for students from Africa, Dr?Feldblum said, because African visa requests disproportionately face rejection by US?officials, leaving students vulnerable ¡°to con schemes by fraudulent actors who offer false guarantees for securing a?visa¡±.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com