Since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, stricter visa guidelines and a more stringent application process have made it harder for international students to study in the United States.
The Student and Exchange Visitor System, which includes the newest set of rules foreign students must comply with, has cut down on the number of international students studying at UNM, said Ken Carpenter, an adviser in the Office of International Programs and Studies.
"Some students were denied student visas because they couldn't meet the requirements and some are deterred from even applying because they are afraid of the process," Carpenter said.
SEVIS, a new federal database, catalogues student information such as name, address and area of study. Under the program's guidelines, UNM has to monitor its international students and report, within 30 days after registration ends, anyone who fails to enroll. If foreign students change any personal information, including their name, address or academic program, the University has 21 days to report it to the government.
Congress passed SEVIS in 1996 in response to the World Trade Center bombing in 1993, according to the Department of Homeland Security. Homeland Security maintains the program, which is now in place at every college and university in the country.
The aftermath of Sept. 11 accelerated the program's development, and the USA Patriot Act required the database to be fully implemented by the start of this school year.
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Universities had to meet an Aug. 1 deadline of providing SEVIS with foreign students' information in order for them to continue studying in the country.
UNM has 978 international students from 80 countries.
Carpenter said many international students are turned off by the idea of being so closely watched and are opting to study in countries like England and Australia, which are making it easier for foreign students to obtain student visas.
He said the U.S. government is singling out international students because they are easier to track.
"The government is scrutinizing these students although they make up only a small portion of foreigners who obtain visas to get into the U.S.," Carpenter said. "The majority get here through business and tourism visas and aren't put through the same time- consuming process."
Still, some students say the increased security is warranted after Sept. 11.
"I think it's justified on the part of the government to put students through such a process," said Ankur Tangirala, a UNM graduate student from India. "History shows us that it was college students involved in the Sept. 11 attacks. There is reason for concern."
Tangirala said while he had no problem getting his visa to study at UNM, he knows several students whose applications were rejected.
International students who have obtained visas to study at UNM must be registered in at least 12 credit hours a semester. They also have to report any academic changes to the University within 10 days, or face deportation and possible banning from reentering the United States, according to the SEVIS Web site.
Dibda Kumar, a freshman from India, said the SEVIS rules and the Department of Homeland Security's guidelines are too strict.
"I know lots of students whose entire lives will be impacted by not being able to meet the new requirements to come to the U.S. and earn a college degree," Kumar said. "I just don't think it is fair."
