Trump visa policies weigh on Columbia University’s journalism programme as admissions pause
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admissions → weigh → programme
The Trump administration’s changing visa policies caused a sharp drop in international applications to Columbia University and contributed to the university pausing admissions to one of its journalism programmes, four people familiar with the matter said.
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people → change → matter
The journalism school announced on Oct 1 that it was pausing admissions to its Master of Arts offering to conduct a “critical evaluation”, without giving further details about the reasons.
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it → announce → reasons
Jelani Cobb, the journalism school’s dean, said admissions to its Master of Arts programme would pause for one year while the school reworked a degree created in 2005, when the “journalism marketplace looked different”.
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marketplace → say → 2005
“The dynamics of visas and all those other kinds of things were part of the consideration,” Cobb told Reuters.
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Cobb → tell → Reuters
Additionally, the department needs time to think through changes to the programme, he added.
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he → need → programme
The connection between the admissions pause and US visa policies has not been previously reported, nor has the length of the admissions pause.
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length → report → admissions
The drop in international applications shows how uncertainty over US President Donald Trump’s visa policies is affecting one of the preeminent US journalism institutions, which also administers the profession’s highest US honour, the Pulitzer Prize.
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which → show → honour
The people did not disclose the exact size of the drop in applications.
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people → disclose → applications
Last year, the Trump administration temporarily halted new student-visa appointments, then resumed them with expanded screening of applicants’ online activity, saying the checks were needed to identify potential threats to US national security.
Columbia was among the universities targeted by his administration over pro-Palestinian campus protests in 2024.
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Columbia → halt → 2024
Last year, it agreed to pay over US$200 million to settle federal investigations and regain most of its suspended federal funding.
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it → agree → funding
A new rule this year also sought to limit how long foreign students and journalists could stay in the US without seeking extensions, but a federal judge blocked it before it took effect last month, calling its rationale “exceptionally weak”.
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it → seek → rationale
Reliance on international students
Visa difficulties and immigration policy uncertainty have deterred prospective Columbia journalism students from abroad, the four people said, requesting anonymity to discuss its admissions.
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people → deter → admissions
International students make up roughly half of the MA programme’s enrollment, the people said.
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people → make → enrollment
Kaushik Raj, an Indian journalist admitted to Columbia’s separate Master of Science (MS) programme in data journalism, was denied a US student visa last year, the Intercept reported.
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Intercept → admit → visa
His rejection letter said he had not shown sufficient ties to India to establish he would return after his studies, according to the report.
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he → say → report
Geared toward mid-career journalists seeking expertise in subjects such as politics, business and science, the MA programme is smaller than the MS programme aimed at students with less journalism experience.
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programme → gear → experience
The school is not pausing the MS programme.
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school → pause → programme
Lower enrollment has prompted changes to the MA programme, including the combination of science and politics seminars in the 2024-25 academic year, two of the people familiar with the matter said.
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two → prompt → matter
On Oct 1, the school also announced a two-year, part-time online MS programme.
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school → announce → programme
The move could allow Columbia to enroll international students without visas, but Cobb said it was unrelated to the MA admissions pause because the programmes serve different students.
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programmes → allow → students
Changing dynamics of journalism
The MA pause comes as news organisations grapple with AI’s potential to reshape how stories are produced and found, while falling search traffic piles pressure on their business.
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traffic → change → business
Last year, at least 3,434 journalism jobs were cut in Britain and the United States, according to a Press Gazette tracker.
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jobs → cut → tracker
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and American news outlet CBS News have announced layoffs this year.
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Corporation → announce → layoffs
Some journalists took to social media on Oct 1 to criticise the MA programme as too short and too expensive.
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journalists → take → programme
The course spans nine months and Columbia estimates the cost of attendance at US$120,000 before financial aid.
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Columbia → span → aid
The year-long MS in data journalism costs about US$180,000.
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MS → cost → 180,000
Two of the people familiar with the matter said the financial assistance made tuition less of a deterrent because most students receive financial aid.
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students → say → aid
About 80 per cent of the students receive financial aid, including grants, loans, or scholarships from institutional, federal and private funds, according to its website.
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cent → receive → website
Cobb said the journalism school wants to create a new fundraising strategy for the MA programme and is considering starting a part-time version.
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school → say → version
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