International Student and Scholar Services

Contributing to Comprehensive Internationalization

Crisis Management

Office Administration

Orientation, Retention, and Student Services Programming

Student and Scholar Advising

Ioana Costant, JD

Ioana Costant is the director of International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS). She has served in this role since 2020. Ioana leads the office, which supports more than 4,000 scholars and students at Carolina. She is focused on delivering high-quality services and programs to international

ISSS Management Seminar

May 27, 2025 | 1:30 pm

Creative Approaches to Managing an International Student and Scholar Services Office Tuesday, May 27, 2025 1:30–3:00 p.m. PDT San Diego, California Managing an office supporting international students and scholars presents challenges, especially within the constraints of limited resources, competing

Government Scrutiny of Digital Footprint and Social Media

Many students and scholars might not realize that their social media presence can be scrutinized during visa applications, border screenings, or law enforcement encounters. What Schools Can Do Schools can help educate students on social media risks by: Providing students and scholars information

U.S. Visa Interview Wait Times

Visa Interview Wait Time Info Available on DOS Web Page Nonimmigrant visa interview wait time information is once again available on the Department of State's (DOS) Global Visa Wait Times page on travel.state.gov. The page was finally updated with new data on April 25, 2025 after having been dormant

Travel Bans and Restrictions

April 16, 2025

Shortlink to this page: www.nafsa.org/travelbans Statutory Bases for Travel Bans and Restrictions A number of long-standing statutory provisions in the Immigration and Naturalization Act (INA) give wide discretion to the President, and sometimes the Secretary of a Federal agency, to suspend or

Re-Registration of Nonimmigrants Reaching Age 14

USCIS rules effective April 11, 2025 require young nonimmigrants who turn 14 while in the U.S. to "re-register" with USCIS within 30 days of their birthday, even if previously registered and issued a Form I-94 when they entered the country. This may affect, for example, F-2, J-2, H-4 dependents and

Regulatory Perspectives: Regulatory Practice and the New Presidential Administration

NAFSA staff members David Fosnocht and Steve Springer discussed student and scholar advising and the new presidential administration with attendees. They discussed vehicles an administration can use to effect change, review interests of the prior Trump administration that may be revived, and

Executive Order: Implementing The President’s DOGE Workforce Optimization Initiative

February 17, 2025

Executive Order of February 11, 2025: Implementing The President’s “Department of Government Efficiency” Workforce Optimization Initiative. On February 11, 2025, President Trump signed an executive order titled Implementing the President's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) Workforce

Executive Order: Protecting The Meaning And Value Of American Citizenship

May 15, 2025

Executive Order 14160 of January 20, 2025, Protecting The Meaning And Value Of American Citizenship. Read: Executive Order 14160 on whitehouse.gov Executive Order 14160 as published in the Federal Register at 90 FR 8449 (January 29, 2025) Status: Subject to nationwide preliminary injunctions

Executive Order: Reevaluating and Realigning United States Foreign Aid

February 18, 2025

On January 20, 2025, President Trump issued Executive Order 14169, Reevaluating and Realigning United States Foreign Aid. Read: EO 14169 on whitehouse.gov EO 14169 published in the Federal Register at: 90 FR 8619 (January 30, 2025) DOS Press Statement: Implementing the President’s Executive Order on