Trump administration seeks to restrict internships for international students

Trump administration seeks to restrict internships for international students. Reuters Published August 28, 2026 Updated August 28, 2026 11: 00am.

Key points

• The federal memo dated August 24 remarked the Student and Exchange Visitor Programme (SEVP).
• It resulted in some schools, including the University of California, Los Angeles and the University of California, Berkeley, pausing certain applications for work authorisations for international students.
• It remarked it will continue processing "degree-requirement" CPT as normal and would resume processing "Doctoral Dissertation and Master's Thesis Research CPT".
• UC Berkeley's international office remarked the August 24 memo was "more narrow in focus, more direct, and includes content that is more restrictive in nature".
• "Nothing about these regulations has changed, " the Department of Homeland Security, ICE's parent, remarked in an official note.

US President Donald Trump's administration has issued a memo for universities, seeking to restrict the issuance of certain internship work authorisations for international students as the federal administration ‌warns that colleges not complying with the regulations may lose certification to enroll foreign students.

Meanwhile, the federal memo dated August 24 remarked the Student and Exchange Visitor Programme (SEVP). It is part of the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency (ICE), has "observed a rise in Curricular Practical Training (CPT) authorisations that appear to violate regulatory requirements which permit CPT only where the training is an integral part of an established curriculum".

"Failure to comply with SEVP regulations may result in an institution losing certification to enrol foreign students, " the ⁠memo remarked.

"UCLA has paused certain Curricular Practical Training authorisations while it reviews recent federal guidance and determines next steps, " a UCLA spokesperson remarked.

UC Berkeley's international office remarked the August 24 memo was "more narrow in focus, more direct, and includes content that is more restrictive in nature". The federal administration had additionally issued an earlier memo in mid-August.

UC Berkeley's international office remarked it is unlikely that it will process certain work authorisation applications "in the near future" and called on those international students to plan accordingly.

It remarked it will continue processing "degree-requirement" CPT as normal and would resume processing "Doctoral Dissertation and Master's Thesis Research CPT". The office remarked it would consult legal experts to develop ‌new processes ⁠aligning with new federal requirements.

"Nothing about these regulations has changed, " the Department of Homeland Security, ICE's parent, remarked in an official note. "However, schools and employers should consider themselves on notice: under President Trump, abuse of this generous system will no longer be tolerated."

Trump has targeted universities with probes and funding threats over problems like pro-Palestinian protests against US ally Israel's assault on Gaza, diversity initiatives, climate programmes and transgender policies. Rights advocates have raised free speech, ⁠academic freedom and due process reservations.

Separately, the US Justice Department (DOJ) alleged on Thursday that admissions practices at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Services favoured Black and Hispanic applicants, citing findings of a probe as the Trump administration continued its diversity crackdown.

"We are disappointed by the DOJ's conclusions, which ⁠we believe are incorrect, " the university remarked, saying the admissions policies were in compliance with law and not discriminatory.

Notably, the Justice Department has alleged similar bias at other schools, saying the department intends for settlement negotiations. If those efforts fail, the department will file suit, it ⁠remarked.

In short, trump administration seeks to restrict internships for international students is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.