\u201cWe are currently working with the California State University system to assess the impact of the new rule for our international students,\u201d a university spokesperson said in a statement.<\/p>\n
SJSU\u2019s tuition for international undergraduates in the 2026-27 school year is $20,538 and $19,422 for graduate students, which is significantly higher than the cost for in-state undergrads at $9,553 and $10,944 for in-state post-grads. Last fall the school enrolled 2,538 foreign students and 2,332 this spring. The estimated annual tuition for those 4,870 students at the university would be close $49 million.<\/p>\n
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Many international students attend San Jose State and Santa Clara universities for graduate studies. Photo by Lorraine Gabbert.<\/p>\n
A four-year visa limit will impede foreign students requiring additional time to complete their degrees, research, post-graduate studies or seeking employment in Silicon Valley following graduation. Current rules give students significantly more flexibility<\/a> to complete academic programs, many of which are longer than four years.<\/p>\n In a letter to foreign students, SJSU officials said the school\u2019s International Student and Scholar Services<\/a> is here to support them during this transition.<\/p>\n Extensions will only be available through rigorous vetting, according to DHS. In a statement from DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin, he described the rule as cracking down on a loophole that international students were exploiting by extending their studies.<\/p>\n \u201cBy implementing clear, finite limits on these visas, the United States is reclaiming its ability to properly screen, vet, and monitor individuals within our borders,\u201d Mullin said. \u201cThis final rule ensures that foreign students remain focused on their primary purpose: completing their studies and returning home.\u201d<\/p>\n Many students at SJSU<\/a> have to juggle work with school and can\u2019t always get the classes they need to graduate in time.<\/p>\n SJSU Junior Jeyan Lin, an accounting information system major, is concerned international students won\u2019t be able to work in Silicon Valley following graduation.<\/p>\n \u201cFor the school to have that diversity and feed into the industry is very important,\u201d he told San Jos\u00e9 Spotlight. \u201cForeign students contribute culture and diversity. This is what is special about Silicon Valley, where the smartest people gather and create new technology.\u201d<\/p>\n Lin said high tech companies regularly recruit students from SJSU<\/a>. He said if international students are deterred from attending, they\u2019ll take their talents elsewhere \u2014 which would be a loss for San Jose and Silicon Valley.<\/p>\n Sara, who asked to only use her first name for privacy reasons, is a marketing major going into her fifth year at San Jose State University. She said the new ruling will hurt the university and its students.<\/p>\n \u201cBeing unsure about your status is extraordinarily stressful for these students,\u201d she told San Jos\u00e9 Spotlight. \u201cIt\u2019s important for colleges to stand up for our students and advocate for them.\u201d<\/p>\n During the last five years, the four-year graduation rate for all undergraduates was about 34% and about 78% for graduate students, the SJSU spokesperson said.<\/p>\n San Jose State won\u2019t be the only school in the region to be hit by the visa restrictions.<\/p>\n At Santa Clara University, international students comprise 16% of graduate and professional students and 6% of undergraduates. In addition to the almost 1,000 enrolled international students, approximately 600 are employed through Optional Practical Training, a work program for F-1 visa holders.<\/p>\n \u201cSanta Clara University has a strong tradition of supporting the whole person and we extend this to our large and talented group of international students,\u201d Susan Popko, vice provost for international programs at Santa Clara University, told San Jos\u00e9 Spotlight.<\/p>\n William Sundstrom, an economics professor at Santa Clara University, said the university has many international graduate students in its business and law schools. Nationally, the median time of completion for bachelor\u2019s degrees is more than four years for undergraduate students, he said, adding a large percentage of international students are enrolled in Ph.D. programs, which often take up to six years to complete.<\/p>\n \u201cA number of our grad students in business end up on Optional Practical Training visa extensions that are two years for STEM students and allows them to get a foothold in the Valley and then apply for an H-1B,\u201d Sundstrom told San Jos\u00e9 Spotlight. \u201cA lot of patents are issued to companies that have founders who are foreign-born. They\u2019re integral to the tech ecosystem.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/PXL_20260724_225509018-1024x771.jpg\")
San Jose State University junior Jeyan Lin, an accounting information system major who is not a foreign student, said if international students are deterred from attending U.S. universities they\u2019ll take their talents elsewhere. Photo by Lorraine Gabbert.<\/p>\n
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