People line up for visa interviews outside the U.S. Embassy in Seoul in Jongno District, central Seoul, on July 15.NEWS1
Korean students preparing to begin programs in the United States this September are facing growing uncertainty after the U.S. government recently limited international student stays to just four years.
Some students who have already completed visa interviews and were preparing to enroll this fall are reconsidering their plans, with some even giving up on studying in the U.S. altogether or turning to alternative destinations.
“Families spend months weighing a decision that often costs more than 100 million won [$67,500] a year in tuition and living expenses,” a source at a study-abroad agency specializing in U.S. education said on Monday. “Now they're reluctant to leave because they may be forced to return after just four years.”
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the new regulation on Thursday, limiting international students to a maximum stay of four years.
Previously, international students were allowed to remain in the United States for the duration of their academic program. Under the new rule, however, those who need to stay beyond four years must apply for an extension and undergo review by the DHS. The regulation will take effect 60 days after its publication in the Federal Register, meaning students scheduled to begin their studies at U.S. universities this September will also be subject to the new rule.
The policy is expected to have a particularly severe impact on students pursuing master's or doctoral degrees, which typically take nearly six years to complete.
It is also an obstacle to Korean men studying abroad, as all able-bodied individuals are required to serve 18 to 21 months, depending on the branch. So those who have not yet completed their mandatory military service would need to obtain an extension if they returned to Korea in the middle of their studies to fulfill their military obligations. On the other hand, if these students delay military service until after graduation, that could also disrupt plans for employment or further study.
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks at the East Room of the White House on July 16.AP/YONHAP
“Even students without military obligations face difficulties,” a representative at a Korean study-abroad agency said. “Unless they are already fluent in English and well adapted to the local culture, it is not easy to complete a four-year undergraduate program within four years.”
The U.S. has long been the top destination for Korean students studying abroad, with one out of three choosing to study there.
Last year, 33.3 percent of Korean students enrolled in overseas higher education institutions chose to study in the United States, followed by Australia with 12.7 percent; Japan with 11.2 percent; China with 8.2 percent; Canada with 8.1 percent; Germany with 5.8 percent; and France with 3.3 percent, according to the Ministry of Education.
The concern actually extends beyond the United States, however, as tighter restrictions on international students are spreading to other countries as well.
The British government decided to stop issuing dependent visas to most international students enrolled in master's programs or below in 2024, according to a study by the Korea International Migration Studies Association. The measure was introduced amid growing domestic concerns over immigration.
Canada has also tightened its policies. After hosting nearly 580,000 international students in 2023, it reduced its intake to about 480,000 in 2024 and imposed limits on enrollment in regions that had already attracted large numbers of foreign students.
People line up outside the U.S. Embassy in Seoul for visa interviews on July 20, after the Trump administration limited international students' stays to four years.NEWS1
“Toronto and Vancouver have struggled with housing shortages because of the growing international student population, and concerns have also been raised about declining education quality,” said Shin Hyun-sook, president of the Korea Overseas Study Association. “Recently, we've seen more inquiries about studying in New Zealand, where restrictions remain less stringent.”
The number of Koreans studying abroad overall has been declining for years.
A total of 129,726 Koreans were enrolled at overseas higher education institutions last year, according to the education ministry. That figure peaked at 262,465 in 2011 and remained above 200,000 through 2019 before falling more sharply after the Covid-19 pandemic.
“With countries adopting increasingly restrictive immigration policies, it will become much harder for international graduates to find jobs and remain after completing their studies,” said Kim Tae-hwan, an adviser to the Korean Association for Immigration Policy and Administration. “Unless governments ease their immigration policies, it will be difficult for the number of Koreans studying abroad to recover.”
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
