• The U.S. State Department has paused scheduling new student visa interviews.
• This pause is part of efforts to increase scrutiny of applicants' social media activity.
• International students express anxiety and uncertainty over their educational futures.
• Legal challenges against U.S. policies, particularly impacting Harvard University, are ongoing.
• Many students report feeling regret over their decisions to apply to U.S. institutions amid new restrictions.

The U.S. State Department has temporarily halted the scheduling of new visa interviews for international students as it prepares to expand social media scrutiny of these applications. Secretary of State Marco Rubio's directive has led to a pause in consulate operations concerning student and exchange visitor visas, which will remain in effect until new guidance is issued. This move is part of a broader initiative by President Donald Trump’s administration, which has significantly ramped up its vetting of foreign students, particularly those from countries involved in political activism, especially regarding issues related to Palestine, according to Channel News Asia, Los Angeles Times, and The Jakarta Post.

The State Department confirmed that this suspension applies to students seeking F, M, and J visas, affecting all new applicants. Those who have previously scheduled interviews will not be impacted, and existing appointments will continue as planned, as noted in an internal memo obtained by several news agencies including Africanews and Newsweek.

Students applying for U.S. educational programs report feeling increasingly anxious and uncertain about their futures due to the abrupt changes in the visa application process. Many international applicants are expressing regret about their decisions to pursue education in the U.S., with some fearing they may lose scholarships if unable to secure a visa in time, according to BBC and TRT Global.

Legal challenges are already underway against the Trump administration's efforts to bar Harvard University from enrolling international students. A federal judge recently placed a temporary restraining order on this ban, but the future of visa processing remains precarious, as the Trump administration intensifies scrutiny on universities perceived as harboring anti-Semitic sentiments or left-leaning ideologies, as reported by The New York Times and Al Jazeera.

Prospective international students are encouraged to keep checking for new appointment openings as indications suggest that the suspension may not last long, with State Department officials hinting at potential resumption "sooner rather than later," according to Africanews and Los Angeles Times.