Speaking at the 2026 NAFSA conference, sector leaders hailed an improved “sense of stability” compared to the previous year, highlighting little instances of Congress beginning to press back on the existing administration, especially on research study abroad.
“We’re beginning to see our champions advance both on the Democratic and the Republican side of the aisle,” stated NAFSA senior director of public policy Rachel Banks.
“Every Costs that gets introduced doesn’t always suggest it will immediately pass, but it’s good that we’re seeing action,” she continued. “I think the sense of stability originates from the fact we understand a lot more [now] than we did at that time.”
Banks remembered the 2025 NAFSA conference, controlled by the administration’s visa interview time out announced during the open plenary. It followed numerous months visa cancellations impacting countless trainees, teaching coworkers that “absolutely nothing is off the table”, said Banks.
And while substantial challenges stay — particularly relating to state department visa processing delays, the incoming last rule ending period of status (D/S) and threats to Optional Practical Training (OPT)– speakers welcomed a “shift” in behaviour from Congress.
“Whereas in 2015 we saw Congress stating yes to everything, we’ve seen a transformation in Congress beginning to push back and assert a little bit more of its authority,” said Adrienne Jacobs, assistant director of the Alliance for International Exchange.
Most of these efforts have actually centred on research study abroad, delegates heard, with Congressmen from both political parties progressively speaking up in defence of global exchanges.
Carl Herrin, assistant to the president at Worchester State University, invited the truth last year’s proposed 93% funding cut for study abroad “ended up being a haircut not a decapitation”, as sector advocacy saw it lowered to 5.5%.
Meanwhile, Alliance president Mark Overmann said this year’s 68% prepared cut was “quickly removed the table” by Congress, proposing $641 million in funding, marking a less drastic reduction and a “actually, truly, excellent outcome in this environment”.
With this hazard largely alleviated, Overmann stated the sector faced additional difficulties from the Workplace for Management and budget plan (OMB) inserting itself “in very unprecedented ways” and avoiding the cash being released, though he welcomed successful advancements in this area.
By the time you get down the list of concern [visa] categories, you find worldwide trainees and exchange visitors short on that list
Rachel Banks, NAFSA
Elsewhere, a bipartisan group of policymakers reintroduced the Senator Paul Simon Act to enhance access to study abroad, following the launch of a caucus to strengthen assistance for international exchange in congress– gathering support from throughout the political aisle.
Beyond research study abroad, speakers painted a more challenging photo for the United States sector, urging conference delegates to reach out to state lawmakers and city governments about the value of worldwide trainees as part of NAFSA’s global education action week.
Though the widely anticipated guideline ending period of status was not released during the conference, the incoming change dominated discussions, with experts warning of the “tremendous” influence on trainees, scholars and teachers.
The inbound last guideline on period of status dominated conference discussions, with professionals alerting of the “tremendous” impact on students and scholars.
Though the legislation seems guaranteed in some kind, it received recent pushback from Republican politician and Democratic policymakers urging OMB to protect the existing period of status structure.
And while a number of policymakers have rallied around safeguarding OPT, Banks alerted the administration’s recent branding of the program a “magnet for scams” and exposing prevalent supposed abuse — which Banks called a “technique” of the administration to lay the groundwork for changes.
Additionally, she highlighted visa processing concerns affecting both F-1 and J-1 students and visitors, with the government being “really public” that tourists and services will be prioritised in the name of so-called “industrial diplomacy” ahead of this summer’s FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Olympics.
“By the time you come down the list of concern classifications, you find global trainees and exchange visitors short on that list,” said Banks.
Elsewhere in the conference, delegates were reminded that processing backlogs begin top of Trump’s existing travel restriction on 40 nations– setting up barriers for some students to get in the country regardless of much discussed demand side declines.
Speakers doubled down on the significance of various types of advocacy in the face of multipronged threats– including one-to-one discussions with policymakers along with greater profile projects organised by sector leaders over the previous 16 months.
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