US intensive English programmes (IEPs) are to raise concerns about new policy proposals from the US Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) for university pathway programmes, warning that they will complicate the admissions process and impact programme delivery. They are particularly worried by proposals affecting I20 issuance and conditional admission.
EnglishUSA held its 5th Annual Professional Development Workshop in San Francisco last month - and used the occasion to host a live conference call with SEVP officials to further clarify the sector's understanding of what have been policy "grey areas".
International students interested in studying in the US have a new source of information on immigration rules and visa processes – a video produced by the Student Exchange Visitor Programme (SEVP) and posted on its recently launched Study in the States website. Student to Student: Studying in the States is the first video of its kind from the Department of Homeland Security.
During an advocacy day held for English USA members, US government agency, SEVP, informed universities that that they would no longer be able to issue I-20 visas for degree-seeking students on condition of a student improving their English level. They will have to reapply for a new I-20 upon completion of their English level; this is one of several policy adjustments..
The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has issued a "notice of intent to withdraw" accreditation to California's University of Herguan after federal agents charged CEO, Jerry Wang, with visa fraud. Wang was arrested just a day after the US House of Representatives passed a bill that would require all HE institutions to have national or regional accreditation.
New moves are being made to ensure accreditation of universities and colleges is satisfactory in the USA, following a report highlighting weaknesses in the system. A bill to ensure HE institutions have relevant accreditation made it through the first stage of government process this week...
A cross party group of US senators has proposed new legislation to stamp out student visa fraud, after a government report found serious flaws within the Student Exchange and Visitor Program, the federal body that oversees the student visa system. It would crack down on those who run bogus colleges and increase oversight of unaccredited colleges among other measures.
The Student Exchange and Visitor Programme (SEVP) arm of US government has quelled fears about the accreditation of US "combined IEPs" – intensive English language programmes operating from university campuses – by providing a detailed list of FAQs online.
