H-1B worries overblown? USC dean dismisses visa panic amid surge in Indian student enrollment

Geoffrey Garrett, james dean of the USC e. G. Marshall schooltime of concern, said amerindic students are enrolling at record levels at the University of Southern California (USC), even as the new H1-B visa and job worries continue to dominate chatter among prospective applicants.

The USC Marshall School of Business registered its highest-ever intake of Indian students this year.

“We were worried we’d lose a lot of international students. That didn’t happen,” he told The Indian Express. “For universities like USC, international students are our lifeblood.”

Amid the ongoing buzz around visa restrictions, Garrett said most Indian students do not need an H-1B visa right after graduation. “STEM graduates can work under Optional Practical Training for up to three years,” he explained, adding that it is not as intimidating as it seems once you look at the details.

He admitted that the hiring process has become more complex, but larger firms can manage the added costs. “Big companies can absorb the roughly $100,000 cost over six years,” Garrett said.

Asked about growing anxiety among Indian students over safety and acceptance in the US, Garrett pushed back. “Walk down Trousdale Parkway at USC. You don’t feel like you’re in some mythical version of white America from the 1950s,” he said. “Southern California is incredibly diverse," he added.

He also noted that Indian Americans now hold key roles in US business and politics. “That should give students comfort. The success of Indian Americans is remarkable,” Garrett said.

Garrett called the changing visa environment a potential “win-win” for India. “Some talent will come back home. Many of the biggest H-1B users were Indian firms operating in the US,” he said.

Jared Grusd, adjunct professor of entrepreneurship at USC, added that “students are focused on learning and career goals, not just visa fears.”

Garrett also acknowledged the rise of top private Indian universities. “India’s New Education Policy has global attention,” he said. Foreign universities are now allowed to operate in India, a move that Garrett emphasised as “a big deal.”

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With tuition and living costs nearing half a million dollars, USC is also preparing a not-for-profit initiative in India to attract philanthropic funding for scholarships. “That would enable more students from across the socio-economic spectrum to study in the US,” Garrett said.

He cited a similar model in Indonesia, where alumni-funded scholarships have expanded access for deserving students. “It’s a win-win. The university attracts great talent, and donors feel they’re giving back to their country,” Garrett said.

Garrett added that while more Indian students are considering top private universities at home, US degrees still hold powerful global value. “Students know the return on investment,” he said, adding that he wants to keep building those bridges in both directions.

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Dean Geoffrey Garrett said students now understand that STEM graduates can work under Optional Practical Training (OPT) for up to three years before needing an H-1B visa.

The total cost, including tuition, living, and other expenses, is close to half a million dollars for the full program, according to Garrett.

Garrett confirmed that USC is setting up a not-for-profit initiative in India to attract philanthropic funding for scholarships, modeled on a similar program in Indonesia.

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