SAN FRANCISCO, Nov 28: Foreign students are facing stricter visa regime as well as discrimination on an increasing number of university campuses in the United States.

The influx of foreign students to American universities slowed significantly amid broader restrictions from the US government following Sept 11, 2001, a Colombia University study said.

According to Colombia University’s International Students and Scholars Office study, 59 per cent of educational institutions surveyed cited the difficulty in obtaining student visas as a major factor deterring foreign students hoping to study in the US.

The ISSO website reads: “It is essential to remember that you must take full responsibility for maintaining your status with the Department of Homeland Security.”

There are reports of many instances in which Muslim students are discriminated against on American campuses. Such reports have also deterred many Muslim students to study in United States.

According to the Cornell University, students from the following countries need special scrutiny: Afghanistan, Algeria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Cuba, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Morocco, North Korea, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen, and the territories of Gaza and West Bank.