Page last updated April 8, 2021 with a copy of a letter from several universities throughout New York to US Department of State Secretary Antony Blinken and US Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas regarding continued closure of US embassies and consulates and travel restrictions.

[My visits to NYU global sites] serve as a powerful reminder to me of how inextricably tied our global character is to our educational and research mission. And as I meet students and scholars from all over the world studying at Washington Square and other sites, it reinforces for me how vital the free movement of people is to our academic goals. -- NYU President Andrew Hamilton, following a visit to two of NYU’s global locations in 2017

Our international students and scholars are an integral and cherished part of the NYU community. NYU believes it is essential that the federal government prioritize the processing of student visas and programs such as Optional Practical Training (OPT). NYU has been working on numerous levels to advocate on behalf of international students and OPT in recent months.

Both directly – such as NYU President Hamilton’s recent letter to the Departments of State and Homeland Security – and through the national higher education associations – such as the American Council on Education (ACE) and the Association of American Universities (AAU) – NYU is pressing the case with the White House, Republicans in the US Senate, and other policymakers in support of international students and the issues of greatest concern to them (see recent higher education association letters below).

Higher education has not been the only sector to mobilize to support international students and OPT. On May 21, 2020, the Compete America coalition sent a letter to the White House and US Departments of Homeland Security, Labor, and State conveying the importance of F-1, H-1B and OPT; it had 324 signatories – 256 employers and 68 associations and groups.

NYU believes in global engagement, global education, and the importance of letting its students pursue their studies and their dreams irrespective of where they are from. NYU will continue its advocacy efforts on behalf of its international scholars and students.

Congressional Letters

NYU and Higher Association Letters

Additional Advocacy Resources