US starts granting visas to Chinese students again after Covid lull

Nearly 34,000 F1 visas were granted by the US to Chinese nationals in June

The US has started approving education visas for Chinese students. The number of new visas approved fell from more than 30,000 to just 8 during the 2020 academic year as a result of the pandemic. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The US is once again granting and approving visas for Chinese students after the pandemic slowed the program to a stop.

The increase in approvals began in May, according to data from the US State Department. Approval of F1 visas - the most common visa given to students - has returned to near pre-pandemic levels.

The South China Post reports that 33,896 F1 visas were granted by the US to Chinese nationals in June. That is a significant increase over June of 2020, in which only eight F1 visas were granted. During that same period in 2019, the US approved 34,001 visas.

According to consultants in China, the visa situation has mostly "returned to normal" though some students in certain tech or strategic fields have had to undergo a higher level of scrutiny before being accepted.

Despite the growing number of coronavirus cases in the US driven by the highly contagious Delta variant, the number of approved applications suggests Chinese students are still eager to study at US schools.

Diplomatic considerations may have also contributed to the increase in visa approvals. The Chinese vice-foreign minister Xie Feng pointed to the denial of Chinese student visas as an area of concern during a diplomatic meeting with US officials in July.

Mr Xie, who has earned a reputation for being outspoken and willing to directly criticise the US, called on the White House to "stop harassing Chinese students overseas" and to "cancel visa restrictions on Chinese students”.

Chinese students make up the bulk of foreign students studying in the US. Last year, more than 380,000 Chinese students were in the country on education visas.

The influence of international students - and the money they bring the schools - has prompted US colleges to invest specifically in programs and facilities that cater to them.

Students from China and India made up about 47 per cent of the international student population in the US in 2020.

While Chinese students appear eager to return to US classrooms, Chinese analysts have noted that there are some parents who are worried over their children's safety.

Qia Xiangdong, who owns the Gewai Education agency, told The South China Post that between gun violence, the state of the pandemic, and racial discrimination against Asians and foreigners in general, some Chinese parents have questioned whether a trip to the US is the best choice for their students. He said that ultimately the draw of studying in the US tends to overpower the fear of living within its borders.

“There are many benefits for Chinese students in the US that other countries cannot compete with, including the great job opportunities,” he said.