Many international students in the United States have already cancelled their plans to travel home to spend the winter break with their families. Due to the possibility of being unable to return to the US for the spring semester, they have chosen to remain in the country and spend the holidays by themselves. The current situation has forced foreign students to remain hundreds of miles away from their loved ones during the holidays and they have expressed a feeling of homesickness. To address the growing concern, universities have set up measures to support the students by keeping them engaged in virtual student activities. 

Students staying in campus housing in Canada are now facing a dilemma: how will they safely go home to their families for the holidays? Canadian Higher Education Institutions have been constantly reminding students who are going home for the winter break to limit their interactions to a few people and stick to their household. However, students are finding the rules complicated because some of their holiday destinations require them to undergo the mandatory 14-day quarantine. This measure could mean some students will spend the special holiday occasions in isolation.

The UK government has published guidelines for the student travel window starting in January. The motive of the new travel policy is to manage the phased return of students after the Christmas break to prevent a mass movement of people at the same time. In January, students will be split into two groups depending on their course and their return to universities will be spread out over five weeks. Those enrolled in practical courses will be able to return to universities between January 4 and 18, 2021. The term will start as normal for all other courses but Higher Education providers will offer the courses online at the beginning of the semester. Students enrolled in remote classes will be allowed to return to campus from January 25 to February 1, 2021.

The Victorian government is considering a proposal from the education sector to let 23,000 international students enter the state early next year. Under the proposal, 23,000 international students would arrive between January to April on chartered flights. Students coming from overseas will be allowed to serve their quarantine period in the new student accommodations. The new quarantine buildings are planned to have one entry point and individual rooms to safely accommodate the cohort of international students. 

New Zealand’s state agency has floated the possibility of letting 500 overseas students into the country every month starting January. To date, only one group of foreign students has been approved to enter New Zealand since the border closed in March. Some 250 postgraduate students who have approved study visas were allowed to enter the country in October. A report says that there are still 5,200 students who are already enrolled in NZ universities studying online from offshore.

Several universities and colleges in the state of Missouri have reported that some of their international students are still stuck in their home countries. Despite being away, schools put much value to their contribution to the economy as Missouri State has students from 74 countries. The international student population in the state, which pays premium tuition rates, has a huge economic impact on the community and contributes substantially to job creation. Aside from the revenues that they get, schools recognize that foreign students make the educational experience in Missouri more dynamic and open to other cultures.

Much like many students across the globe, international students studying in Australia’s regional colleges and universities have been greatly affected by the pandemic. And much like those who are studying in the cities, many of these regional enrollees have lost their part-time jobs and their families from overseas have also been having a hard time sending financial support. With these challenges, the students now resort to desperate solutions like giving up their accommodations and eating less while trying to save some money. Some of them even rely on food banks and other donations to make ends meet.

In recent years, the US government has implemented tightened visa restrictions to Chinese students studying in the US and has kicked out hundreds of Chinese researchers accused of hiding military ties. According to some university officials, these are among the issues that the next administration needs to address. China had been one of the largest sources of international students in US schools. The incoming administration has signaled that President-elect Joe Biden plans to reverse many of current president Donald Trump’s tightened immigration and visa policies although it remains unclear whether that will include loosening visa restrictions for Chinese citizens.

A survey has found that hundreds of teachers and school staff in New Zealand might lose their jobs due to continued border closures in 2021. According to the survey,147 primary, intermediate, and secondary schools reported they would cut 764 full-time equivalent jobs. This will include 300 teaching positions, 193 teacher aide jobs, and 191 other support positions. Many schools are now on the edge as they already used up reserves from international student tuition fees. Meantime, the Ministry of Education encourages schools that are facing financial difficulties due to the drop in international students to get in touch with their regional financial advisor for support and guidance.

International students from the Middle East have been facing tremendous stress both in their academic and personal lives due to the pandemic. Just like foreign students in other countries, Middle Eastern students cannot return just yet to their host study destinations because of the existing travel restrictions. International students are now complaining that the remote learning setup is taking a toll on their mental health. The sudden shift in routine and the change in the study environment have also made their situation even more stressful.

The Japanese education ministry plans to increase the number of foreign students studying in Japan’s national universities in 2022. To increase the universities’ global competitiveness, universities run by local governments will welcome more international students moving forward. One objective of the plan is to attract talent that would improve universities’ research capabilities and garner international recognition. Since 2005, total enrollment in Japan’s national universities has hovered at about 96,000. In 2019, 13,070 foreign students studying at national universities were mostly from neighboring Asian countries.

Chinese students enrolled in US schools are now choosing to live in shared housing with other international students. These students cannot return to the US because of the prevailing travel restrictions. Because they have to take classes in a different time zone, it is harder for them to study in their homes and thus they’d feel isolated from family members. To make remote classes work, students from across China have formed study pods and are rooming together in co-living communities where they have similar routines.

With roots dating back to 1367, the University of Pécs is one of the largest higher education institutions in Hungary and the center of knowledge within the Transdanubia region. The University of Pécs is home to over 20,000 students where 4,500 are international students representing more than 110 countries all over the world. Its multi-campus institution includes ten faculties and several research centers. The institution offers more than 80 programs in the fields of medicine, natural sciences, engineering, arts, political science, law, business, and economics.