Policy Priorities

A national strategy for international education would serve to proactively recruit talented students and scholars to U.S. colleges and universities from countries around the world and increase the number and diversity of U.S. students who can access the career skills associated with study abroad.

Provisions in a U.S. veterans’ education benefits bill enacted earlier this year poses unexpected challenge to use of incentive-based agents for international student recruitment. The THRIVE Act, signed into law on June 8, 2021, omits an important exception included in the Higher Education Act that allows incentive-based arrangements for international student recruitment, possibly impacting a school's eligibility to participate in GI Bill programs if they use incentive-based arrangements in their international student recruiting efforts.

Following the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, NAFSA has identified urgent policy and actions the Biden administration should adopt to help protect lives and provide a measure of stability to Afghan students, scholars, and researchers--particularly women and girls.

NAFSA urges Congress to provide critical financial resources, oversight, and policy changes in order to revive and restore international student enrollment and study abroad programs at U.S. colleges and universities impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and the global response to it.

To make study abroad the norm, not the exception, for today's U.S. college student Congress should pass the Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Program Act to incentivize higher education to increase study abroad and provide a cost-effective, sustainable way to ensure more diverse U.S. undergraduates can study internationally.

NAFSA supports the Dream Act and urges Members of Congress to call for a vote on a permanent legislative solution for Dreamers. A permanent legislative solution is the best way to ensure DACA recipients are protected and can continue to help America grow and prosper.