The H. Lavity Stoutt Community College (HLSCC) is working to develop and offer support and services necessary to accommodate Virgin Islands students who may be affected by the recent US decision to modify temporary exemptions for nonimmigrant students taking online courses during the Fall 2020 semester. Photo: GIS/File

Acting President of HLSCC, Dr Richard W. E. Georges said the college is committed to supporting any VI student who may have to return home. Photo: HLSCC/File

The Students and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) announced modifications to temporary exemptions for nonimmigrant students taking online classes due to the pandemic for the fall 2020 semester.

Online transition

The move is expected to affect thousands of foreign students who come to the United States to attend universities or participate in training programs, as well as non-academic or vocational studies.

Universities nationwide are beginning to make the decision to transition to online courses as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, which means international students may have to leave the US.

Considering the recent US decision to modify temporary exemptions for nonimmigrant students taking online courses during the Fall 2020 semester; however, the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College (HLSCC) is working to develop and offer the support and services necessary to accommodate VI students who may be affected.

Students affected

According to HLSCC, these modifications mean that Nonimmigrant F-1 and M-1 students attending US schools in the fall will not be allowed to remain in the United States if their entire course load is made up of online classes.

Further, it said the State Department will not issue visas to students who are enrolled in schools with fully online programmes in the fall semester and students will also be barred entry to the United States by US Customs and Border Protection.

“This means that BVI students currently in the United States without US citizenship and enrolled in such programmes will have to depart or transfer to an institution with in-person instruction,” HLSCC said in a press release on July 9, 2020.

HLSCC steps up

To this end, Acting President of HLSCC, Dr Richard W. E. Georges said that “the College is committed to supporting any BVI student who has found themselves in this situation”.

Affected university students are invited to contact Ms Bria Smith at basmith@hlscc.edu.vg to identify themselves, their current institution, and what resources they need.

HLSCC said its Learning Resource Centre is equipped with private study spaces, computer labs, and internet access.

In addition, the College has access to the EBSCOhost Research Platform, the Cengage Unlimited digital learning platform, and the expertise to provide tutoring in a wide variety of university disciplines.

Exception

According to the Migration Policy Institute, a think tank based in Washington, DC, about 1.2 million students who fall under the affected visas were enrolled and registered at more than 8,700 schools nationwide as of March 2018.

Meanwhile, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has suggested that students currently enrolled in the US consider other measures, like transferring to schools with in-person instruction. There's an exception for universities using a hybrid model, such as a mix of online and in-person classes.