French business school welcomes students hit by US visa chaos

Grenoble Ecole de Management (GEM) has announced it will fast-track applications for international students whose plans to study in the US have been halted due to the suspension of visa interviews – an initiative announced by the Trump administration last week to the dismay of the international education sector.

The offer is open to all students who have already been offered a place at a business school in the US.

“France is open, and GEM is ready to welcome you,” Fouziya Bouzerda, managing director of GEM, wrote on LinkedIn. “We support academic freedom and stand by all students and scholars facing uncertainty due to political decisions. We stand in solidarity and we’re here to help.”

We support academic freedom and stand by all students and scholars facing uncertainty due to political decisions
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GEM is also supported by #ChooseFrance, an initiative launched by French president Emmanuel Macron to position France as a global destination for international students, researchers, and professionals.

The school’s proactive response reflects a broader message that in times of global uncertainty, education should remain open and accessible. “Liberty, Equity, Fraternity – this is the French spirit,” Bouzerda added. “Grenoble may be the swift, high-quality solution you’re looking for.”

It follows a turbulent few weeks for international students in the US, with Donald Trump’s government placing greater scrutiny on the social media profiles of incoming students before they are allowed a visa to enter the country.

And existing students from China were thrown into uncertainty last week when the administration vowed to “aggressively revoke” their visas amid an ongoing trade war with Beijing. As it stands, it is not known whether all Chinese students will be affected or just those with connections to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in key fields.

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