US welcoming int'l students: State Dept

The United States is welcoming international students amid COVID-19 pandemic with a mixture of both in-person and some online coursework.

The United States has long been the destination of choice for international students.

"We are pleased that many international students who had planned to study this fall in the United States may still have the opportunity to do so," said the Spokesperson at the US Department of State.

The US Department of Homeland Security has announced its plan for temporary modifications to F-1 and M-1 nonimmigrant visa requirements for the fall 2020 semester.

This will allow a mixture of both in-person and some online coursework to meet the requirements for nonimmigrant student status.

This temporary accommodation provides greater flexibility for nonimmigrant students to continue their education in the United States, while also allowing for proper social distancing on open and operating campuses across America.

International students will still have to obtain the appropriate visa and may still be subject to other visa processing or travel restrictions due to COVID-19, said the Spokesperson.

Students should check with the local US embassy or consulate for information specific to their country, according to the US Department of State.

The number of students from Bangladesh studying in the United States increased to 8,249 during the most recent academic year - 2018/2019, according to the 2019 Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange.

This is an all-time high for Bangladesh, reflecting a 10 percent increase over the 2018 report and more than tripling since 2009, said the US Embassy in Dhaka recently.

The Embassy said Bangladesh is among the fastest-growing countries of origin for international students in the United States.