Despite changes in Trump administration policy, the USA remains the best country for studying abroad in 2027. Courts have blocked most new restrictions for F-1 visa students, and upcoming elections could halt daily changes to immigration legislation.

Three important rules the courts stopped

Over the past two years, the Trump administration attempted to change three key rules that would have affected F-1 students and H-1B visa applicants.

The first was reducing the validity period of F-1 visas from unlimited to four years with mandatory renewal. The rule was supposed to take effect on September 15, but a judge in Boston blocked it on September 14. The court ruled that the government failed to prove a link between prolonged stays of foreign students and a threat to national security.

The second rule required paying $100,000 when applying for an H-1B visa. Initially, this rule applied to all applicants, then the administration clarified that it only applied to foreigners applying from outside the USA. Despite the controversy, courts blocked it twice—the first time after almost a year of implementation, the second time after the administration’s second attempt to enforce it.

Blocking the internship ban: new hope

In early October, a memorandum from DHS and ICE was issued that restricted internships only to programs where an internship is mandatory to earn a degree. In practice, almost no such programs exist, so most universities, including Berkeley, refused to issue students internship permits.

However, on October 5, a group of universities filed a lawsuit against this rule. The same scenario unfolded with the previous two rules: students are protected not only by courts but also by major US companies interested in talented foreign workers. In all likelihood, students will regain the right to internships.

Why the USA remains beneficial for studying

Despite the instability of the past two years, the main advantages of the USA for students have not disappeared: the best universities, the highest return on education investment, the highest graduate salaries. The problem lies not in restrictions for students, but in employers’ reluctance to sponsor foreign workers after graduation—and this is directly caused by administration policy.

How elections will change the situation

The critical date is the US midterm elections, with results expected by November 3–4. If Democrats win both chambers of Congress, Trump’s power will be limited.

Current rules that the administration has already implemented will remain in effect and will be challenged through courts, as is happening now. But new legislative initiatives—introducing large fees, restructuring the H-1B system, drastically limiting legal immigration—will not pass through Congress without unlimited administration authority.

Result: daily changes in rules and visa statuses will cease, and future students will know exactly what requirements they will face.

What prospective students should do in autumn 2026

For those preparing to apply in autumn 2027, the recommendation is one: include the USA in your list of options. The decision on whether to submit a final application and relocate can be made after the midterm elections, when the political situation becomes clear. By that time, the results of lawsuits against current restrictions will be known.