“Within the international student body, there already is [a] mass panic,” said Taka Nishimura ’27, a student from Japan, in a Sept. 25 interview with The Justice. Nishimura, one of over 500 international students in Brandeis’ undergraduate student body — 15.8% — was referring to new restrictions set by the federal government on Curricular Practical Training that have had an extreme impact on international students.

The Student and Exchange Visitor Program, which falls under the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, issued Broadcast Message 2608-01 on Aug. 12, 2026, declaring that the program “is increasing its scrutiny of CPT approvals to ensure compliance with federal regulations.” CPT is defined by DHS as “an alternative work/study, internship, cooperative education or other type of required practicum” that a student can complete during their education.   

For students on F-1 visas, CPT authorization allows them to seek out internship experience or off-campus work. However, CPT is only authorized for students when it is an “integral” part of the curriculum and would otherwise not allow a student to obtain their degree. Currently, there are no majors at Brandeis that require an internship or work experience to graduate, which means that per new guidelines, CPT may not be applicable for any student. 

On Aug. 21, international students received a newsletter from the International Students and Scholars Office alerting them to the SEVP broadcast and that Brandeis would have to confirm that its CPT policy is compliant with federal regulations. Students were told that processing time for CPTs may exceed their typical timeline of five to seven days. On Aug. 27, ISSO sent out their newsletter with a new update: “In light of these [broadcast] messages, the ISSO is not processing any undergraduate CPT requests until further notice.”

For students like Ciaran McKenna ’27, a junior from Northern Ireland, who had two internship opportunities lined up for the following spring and summer — one for his music major and one for his psychology major — this pause on CPT authorizations means that he is no longer able to work either internship. “It’s like a stab in the back,” he said in a Sept. 24 interview with The Justice. Now, students are left waiting or forced to apply for internships abroad.

Orlando Wu ’28, a junior from China, has worked on building connections with alumni and people in the finance industry for the last year and a half. Now, “I have to [start] from zero,” he said in a Sept. 25 interview with The Justice. While these rules could change, “in two or three years, I’ve already graduated. … My life [is] changed,” he continued. Wu had a return offer from a company he worked at over the summer, which he can no longer take advantage of. Instead, he has started to look for internships in places like Hong Kong, Singapore, China and England.

McKenna shared similar concerns. “I feel more pressure now as my graduation date looms closer and closer because I’m just not getting the experience that my American classmates are gonna be getting,” he said. With an increasingly overwhelming job market that has especially impacted entry-level jobs, McKenna and Wu share fears that plague most students, international or not — the difference is that international students now face additional obstacles to obtaining work experience that could dramatically alter their career trajectory. 

While CPT is paused, students on F-1 visas may be eligible for another form of work experience: Optional Practical Training. OPT is a form of work experience related to a program of study that can happen during or after a student’s program ends. While CPT is authorized through an academic institution, OPT is authorized by the government and can be used for up to 12 months for undergraduate students. STEM majors may apply for an additional 24 months of OPT. Because OPT can be used after graduation, it is a pathway for students to work in the U.S. after graduation. 

For Wu, the risk is too great to use OPT before graduation. “That uncertainty [while waiting for authorization] is more scary because it’s literally the last chance for me to work in America,” he said. Additionally, for humanities majors who only qualify for 12 months of OPT, using some of that time before graduation gives them a tighter window to find post-grad job opportunities. However, it may be the only option for students who want to work an internship in the U.S. at the current moment.

“I understand that studying abroad, especially here, is a privilege,” said one international student who chose to remain anonymous under fear of reprisal in a Sept. 26 interview with The Justice. She attended an American school in her home country, and said, “One of the reasons why I chose to come here … [is because] this is the culture that I’m familiar with.” Lately, it feels like “every month … I need to follow up with something so that I can peacefully continue my studies,” she continued.

F-1 visas, like all temporary, single-intent visas, restrict applicants to the given purpose and time frame of their visa. In this case, F-1 visas are valid while students remain in school and maintain good academic standing, alongside a few other regulations. CPT and OPT provide important legal ways of pursuing work experience in the U.S. that may allow students to transition from student visas to work visas after graduation. The legal jargon and restrictions of student visas can be intimidating, especially in light of SEVP’s new policy. 

On top of increased scrutiny for CPT and visa applications, another DHS policy proposed in August 2025 intended to establish a fixed four-year period for F-1 and J-1 — for people in exchange programs of work or study — visa holders, levying yet another threat to the possibility of stability for international students. This would be a significant change from the current policy, which admits international students for a duration of status. Rather, as long as they are a student and meet specific requirements, they can continue to stay in the U.S. The current rule allows many students to pursue graduate and Ph.D. studies after their undergraduate education without needing additional government approval. The new rule was scheduled to take effect on Sept. 15, but is currently blocked in the U.S. District Court, granting preliminary relief from the rule. According to the ISSO’s newsletter, the next hearing for this case will take place on Oct. 2.  

However, Brandeis students are already feeling the impact of the new policy. New projections for next year’s enrollment of international students across U.S. colleges and universities expect a drop of as many as 112,000 students. Despite these projections, some schools may be able to continue offering CPT authorizations. Notably, schools like Northeastern University and Drexel University, which offer cooperative education programs, can continue offering CPT for students in those programs because hands-on or relevant work experience is required. If Brandeis is no longer able to offer CPT authorization to international students, schools like these may attract more international applications. 

In a Sept. 10 statement to The Justice, the ISSO affirmed that they are “dedicated to supporting our international students and ensuring that Brandeis has the opportunity to have a vibrant community of scholars” and are working “diligently to follow the regulations for Curricular Practical Training and also to consider any new interpretations of these regulations as they are released.” Students expressed frustration with ISSO’s pause of CPT authorizations, but recognized the difficult position they are in. “They’re not the one who makes the rules, so I cannot blame them,” said Wu. “I just felt … upset.” 

When asked about how the ISSO could support them, some students suggested offering more work or internship opportunities that international students may qualify for. Since many employers are less incentivized to hire international students or workers who require additional processing and paperwork, international students often face a tougher job market. “I feel like the ISSO is that one entity [that] should be able to help international students find jobs that they can even apply to,” said Nishimura. 

Nishimura also emphasized the importance of recognizing the breadth of different experiences that international students at Brandeis encompass. “I go up to immigration when I enter the U.S. and I can chit-chat and joke with the immigration officer,” but friends of his that have come from countries with contentious relationships with the U.S.  — notably from China, the Middle East and Northern Africa — are grilled about their visa terms and studies. 

As the Trump administration continues to crack down on higher education, international students remain among the most vulnerable, especially without the ability to find internships or work experience before graduation. Like all students, they deserve to feel safe, prioritized and supported throughout their time at Brandeis. Right now, there are many “international students I know of that are very scared,” McKenna said, and “I don’t see my future in America.”