Applying for a student visa? Here’s what you should do with your social media, according to experts

From now on, international students are going to have a much harder time applying for and gaining a visa that will allow them to study for a degree at a US university.

The Trump administration is cracking down on colleges admitting foreign students. Last month, the US Department of Homeland Security stripped Harvard University of its ability to enroll international students.

The Trump administration accused Harvard of being sympathetic to terrorist organizations and fostering antisemitism. The White House said Harvard has become “a hotbed of Anti-American, antisemitic, pro-terrorist agitators”.

Trump administration threatens to freeze university funding

The move which was subsequently stalled after the university challenged it in court. A federal judge issued a preliminary injunction, with the hope that both sides can come to some kind of compromise.

Industrial espionage is another concern. Chinese students who are currently studying at US colleges are now also in the firing line, after Secretary of State Marco Rubio posted on X: “The US will begin revoking visas of Chinese students, including those with connections to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in critical fields”.

Educational consultancies who help foreign students with their visa applications are advising them to delete any incriminating posts on their social media accounts, as their online activity is likely to be scrutinized during processing.

“Any new student who comes on board, especially an international student who doesn’t have a US passport, we would be going through their social media with them and talk to them about what they are saying on Snapchat, in group chats...” Kat Cohen, founder of consultancy firm IvyWise and University admissions expert told CBS. “Because, if the information comes off as being radical or anti-American in some way, it is not going to help them.”

In a statement, White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said, “Enhanced social media vetting is a commonsense measure that will help ensure that guests in our country are not planning to harm Americans, which is a national security priority.”

Screening what you post on social media

Social media vetting is not new - most employers will check out candidates’ profiles as part of their screening process when hiring. What applicants write in their profile on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter... etc, and the kind of information they post gives recruiters a clearer idea of what they are like, their character, interests and political leanings.

Not everyone is in agreement with the practice. Some argue it creates bias, deters free speech and more worryingly, strongarms universities into complying with politically-related surveillance demands or run the risk losing funding.

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