Legal Implications of International Students

Colleges and universities in the United States enjoy numerous benefits by enrolling international students who, in addition to providing tuition revenue, bring fresh talent and new perspectives to campus. While most international students in the United States complete their studies without incident, research in recent years has found that many international students believe they are treated harshly or unfairly by faculty, students, or institutional policies. In order to identify areas of potential legal concern for universities that seek to enroll international students, this paper explores 19 cases involving international students that have occurred in recent years. The purpose of this paper is to offer insight into potential legal issues and to determine how universities might avoid circumstances that could lead to grievances or lawsuits as well as undermine an institution's ability to attract more international students. Universities would be wise to assume that, as they enroll more foreign students, they will likely face policy and legal issues.