More than 200 Catalan university students await Trump's decision on US student visas 

A total of 217 Catalan university students are currently awaiting the Trump administration’s decision to obtain the necessary visas to study in the United States in the upcoming academic year, according to data provided to the Catalan News Agency (ACN) by the universities.

Of these, 72 students come from the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC), 71 from Pompeu Fabra University (UPF), and 30 from the Autonomous University of Barcelona. The remaining students are enrolled at the University of Barcelona (28), Rovira i Virgili University (10), the University of Lleida (3), and the University of Girona (3).

Two UPC students are planning to attend Harvard University.

Many students are currently in the midst of obtaining their visa and are closely monitoring U.S. government policies after the administration ordered American embassies and consulates to temporarily suspend student visa interviews for those seeking to study in the country.

Anxious about the situation

One of those affected is Laia, an Advertising and PR student at the UPF, planning to go on an Erasmus Exchange to Boston College in Massachusetts from August to December.

Four of her classmates are also going to the US, and while they all began their visa applications simultaneously, three of them already got appointments at the embassy in Madrid.

Laia began her application in early May, paid the required fee, and confirmed that the payment had been processed, only to discover that her application did not appear on the visa system’s website.

“I’ve been trying to resolve it for weeks now,” she says, adding, “I was already anxious about the situation, and now this has only made it worse.”

As soon as she heard about the US government’s new measure, she called the embassy for clarification.

Students with confirmed appointments are exempt from the new suspension, but Laia finds herself “in limbo,” having paid the fee but still without an appointment.

Embassy staff assured her not to worry, and she’s hopeful that she won’t be affected.

Still, Laia is worried. The student already spent between €4,000 and 5,000 on plane tickets and accommodation for her three-and-a-half-month-long stay, money that she “saved up by working” and with her family’s help.

She’s left thinking about what will happen if the plan ends up falling through.

“It’s my future, and something that I’ve been looking forward to for a long time,” she says.

US suspends student visa interviews 

The Donald J. Trump administration has ordered American embassies and consulates to temporarily suspend student visa interviews for those seeking to study in the US.

Washington, DC is currently reviewing the criteria for approving new university student visas.

According to ACN, the US Embassy in Madrid is maintaining appointments already scheduled. Other students can begin the visa process, but will have to wait until the system is reactivated to confirm their appointments.

Regardless, all students must wait for the new criteria to be published.

The US Consulate stressed that the Trump administration’s priority is to enforce “the highest national security standards” in its visa vetting process.

“Denying entry to individuals who may pose a threat to the national or public security is key to protecting US citizens,” the consulate stated.

Since 2019, US visa applicants have been subject to reviews of their social media accounts.

Clash with Harvard

The suspension and visa policy review comes after a confrontation between the Republican government and Harvard University, in which the administration sought to revoke the university’s ability to admit foreign students.

Harvard challenged the decision in court, leading to a temporary suspension of the policy pending a final ruling.

The Trump administration argues that Harvard has failed to address antisemitism allegedly promoted by students on campus amid pro-Palestine protests.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Wednesday that the administration would impose visa restrictions on foreigners “complicit in censoring Americans.”

“Foreigners who work to undermine the rights of Americans should not enjoy the privilege of traveling to our country,” Rubio wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

US Exchange program

According to the US State Department, a total of 8,842 Spanish students studied in the US during the 2023-2024 academic year.

Most were Bachelor's undergraduate (42.5%) or master’s students (23%). The most popular universities were in California, New York, Illinois, Massachusetts, and Florida.

Spanish students represent only 0.8% of the total international student population in US universities.

At the same time, Spain is the third most popular study-abroad destination for US students, behind only Italy and the UK.