The administration of US President Donald Trump has issued guidance to universities aimed at restricting approval of certain internship work for foreign students. The federal directive also warns that universities failing to comply could lose their authorization to enroll international students.
The new directive from the Trump administration instructs universities to limit approval of certain internships for international students. The federal government has warned that educational institutions that do not follow the rules could lose their authorization to admit foreign students.
The directive was issued on August 24. It states that US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), through its Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), has recently noted a rise in approvals for “Curricular Practical Training,” or CPT. Under CPT, international students can take part in internships or training as part of their coursework. However, the federal government says some recently granted approvals do not appear consistent with existing rules. Under the rules, CPT approval can only be granted when the training is an integral part of an established curriculum.
The directive states: “An educational institution could lose its authorization to enroll foreign students for failing to comply with SEVP rules.” Following the new directive, several universities, including the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and the University of California, Berkeley, have temporarily suspended applications for certain work authorizations for international students.
A UCLA spokesperson said the university has paused approval of certain Curricular Practical Training placements while it reviews the recent federal directive and determines its next steps.
UC Berkeley’s international office said the directive, issued after one from mid-August, is more specific and, in some respects, stricter than its predecessor. The institution said it is unlikely to process applications for approval of certain work in the near future, and has advised affected international students to plan ahead accordingly.
However, Berkeley said CPT applications directly tied to fulfilling degree requirements will continue to be processed as before. The institution also said it will resume processing CPT applications related to doctoral dissertation and master’s thesis research. It said it would consult with legal experts to design new procedures consistent with the new federal rules.
On this matter, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which oversees ICE, said in a statement under the Trump administration that no changes have been made to the rules themselves. However, it said abuse of this provision will no longer be tolerated under President Trump, and warned universities and employers to take the matter seriously.
The Trump administration has already been investigating US universities and threatening to cut funding over various issues, including pro-Palestinian protests against Israel’s military operations in Gaza, diversity initiatives, climate programs and transgender policy. Rights activists have raised concerns about freedom of expression, academic freedom and due process over these actions.
Meanwhile, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) has separately alleged that George Washington University’s School of Medicine and Health Sciences showed bias in favor of Black and Hispanic applicants in its admissions process. The allegation reportedly comes as part of the Trump administration’s anti-diversity policy. University authorities have rejected the Justice Department’s allegations, saying the claims are inaccurate and that its admissions policy has been conducted in compliance with the law, without any form of discrimination.
There have also been recent cases of visas being revoked for international students who took part in pro-Palestinian protests. The Trump administration views these protests as antisemitic and sympathetic to extremists. Protesters, however, say opposing Israel’s military campaign and the occupation of Palestinian territory is not antisemitism, and that taking a position in support of Palestinian rights should not be seen as supporting extremism.