The U.S. government has revived its student visa application process — with new rules that put social media activity under the spotlight.
According to the Associated Press, the State Department announced Wednesday that applicants must now grant access to their social media accounts, making them viewable to consular officers for evaluation.
Officers are specifically instructed to flag content that reflects “hostility toward the citizens, culture, government, institutions, or founding principles of the United States.”
Failure to comply with the new “public profile” requirement may lead to rejection, the agency warned, suggesting that refusal could indicate attempts to obscure questionable online behavior.
This policy follows a pause implemented by the Trump administration last month while it prepared to expand vetting measures. Officials say the administration sought to strengthen social media monitoring before resuming visa interviews.
Students from China, India, Mexico, and the Philippines have taken to online platforms to trade updates and dissect press briefings from the State Department, watching closely for any sign of interview slots opening again.
In a directive, officials instructed U.S. consulates to give preference to applicants heading to universities where international students comprise less than 15% of the total enrollment.
A U.S. official, speaking anonymously due to the sensitivity of the information, confirmed this additional layer of prioritization.
According to federal education data from 2023, nearly 200 American universities — mostly private institutions including all Ivy League schools — host student bodies with over 15% international enrollment.
Public schools like the University of Illinois and Penn State are also on the list. When counting undergrads only, that number drops to about 100 universities, still predominantly private.
This latest move comes amid growing scrutiny of international students in the U.S. Earlier in the year, thousands lost study authorization, including those with only minor traffic violations, before the administration reversed course. The government has also expanded reasons to terminate international student status.
The Trump administration has zeroed in on Harvard University in particular, seeking to limit its international enrollment. Trump has stated the Ivy League university should keep foreign student numbers below 15% — a move affecting roughly one-quarter of its student population.
Defending the social media vetting initiative, the State Department said, “This policy will ensure we are properly screening every single person attempting to visit our country.”
Internal instructions to consular officers reinforced this sentiment, urging them to look for any troubling content related to American values.
