'Scary and stressful': Indian students reconsider plans for US education
Source: BBC
'Scary and stressful': Indian students reconsider plans for US education
10 June 2025
Archana Shukla
BBC News, Mumbai
Nikita Yadav
BBC News, Delhi
When 26-year-old Umar Sofi received his acceptance letter from Columbia University's School of Journalism, he thought the hardest part of his journey was over.
After trying for three years, Mr Sofi had finally been admitted to his dream university and even secured a partial scholarship. He quit his job in anticipation of the big move.
But on 27 May, when the US suddenly paused student visa appointments, the ground slipped from beneath his feet.
"I was numb. I could not process what had happened," Mr Sofi, who lives in Indian-administered Kashmir, told the BBC.
Some 2,000km (1,242 miles) away in Mumbai, 17-year-old Samita Garg (name changed on request) went through a similar ordeal.
-snip-
Read more: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c8re8vy4g14o