The US ambassador Peter Haas has said that promoting the opportunity for qualified international students, including from Bangladesh, to study in the United States remains a “top priority” for the US government, reports UNB.
“The United States welcomes Bangladeshi students. From engaging in groundbreaking research to enriching campus life through cultural programs, Bangladeshi students continue to leave their mark across the United States,” said Peter Haas.
He said they are “excited” to see that more and more Bangladeshi students are choosing the United States.
The US Embassy held a “Super Friday” event specifically to interview student visa applicants.
Students said top-ranking universities in the US draw them to study in the US and appreciated the embassy's efforts to give priority to student visa seekers.
Embassy consular staff interviewed over 500 students applying for nonimmigrant student visas.
Over the last year, the US embassy staff in Dhaka dedicated 16 weekends to interviewing over 6,000 nonimmigrant visa applicants, including students, and over 2,000 immigrant visa applicants to reduce the visa wait times.
During the 2021-2022 academic year, 948,519 international students from over 200 countries enrolled at US higher education institutions.
The embassy in Dhaka currently ranks seventh in the world among US embassies and consulates, in terms of the number of student visas issued.
The embassy in Dhaka recognizes the important contributions international students make to college and university campuses in the US, the rich benefits of academic cooperation and increased cultural understanding, and the positive impact these graduates can have when returning to their home countries.
The United States remains the top destination for international students seeking to pursue higher education, according to the US embassy.
The number of Bangladeshi students in the United States increased from 2,800 in the 2010-11 academic year to 10,597 in the 2021-22 academic year.
Although the global COVID-19 pandemic disrupted international educational exchange and student mobility around the world, the US embassy said they are making special efforts, including offering “Super Fridays”, to assist student visa applications and ensure as many students as possible receive interviews before the start of the fall semester.
Bd-pratidin English/Tanvir Raihan
