[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”#000000″ background_image=”https:\/\/www.thelantern.com\/projects\/files\/2025\/04\/grey-color-back.png” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.thelantern.com\/projects\/files\/2025\/04\/suitcase-graphic.png” title_text=”suitcase graphic” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” border_width_all=”10px” border_color_all=”#FFFFFF” box_shadow_style=”preset2″ global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_text_color=”#ba0c2f” text_font_size=”12px” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
Credit: Lucy Lawler | Managing Editor for Design<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”#d3d3d3″ background_enable_image=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” background_enable_color=”off” background_image=”https:\/\/www.thelantern.com\/projects\/files\/2025\/04\/grey-color-back.png” border_width_all=”10px” border_color_all=”#FFFFFF” box_shadow_style=”preset2″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_heading title=”What it takes to be a Buckeye: How US policies impact Ohio State’s Iranian student population” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” title_font=”|600||||on|||” title_text_align=”center” title_text_color=”#000000″ title_font_size=”35px” title_text_shadow_style=”preset1″ global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_heading][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” background_enable_color=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_heading title=”By Carter Kohli | Lantern TV Special Projects Producer” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” title_level=”h2″ title_font=”|600||||on|||” title_text_align=”center” title_text_color=”#000000″ title_font_size=”25px” background_enable_color=”off” title_text_shadow_style=”preset1″ global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_heading][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font_size=”18px” background_enable_color=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
For aspiring Buckeyes from Iran, acceptance into Ohio State is only one step in a complicated and often challenging journey.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n In addition to the application and acceptance stress facing their American peers, students from Iran must navigate a maze of visa restrictions, travel to a neighboring country for interviews and wait months for approval \u2014 all while political tensions and ever-evolving U.S. policies add additional layers of complexity.<\/span><\/p>\n Despite these challenges, the number of Iranian students at American universities has grown steadily, with Ohio State alone seeing an increase from 29 students in fall 2013 to 97 this semester. Experts highlight the distinct barriers these students face, from the difficulties of obtaining a student visa in Iran to the broader impact of government policies \u2014 often influenced by the United States\u2019 relationship with Iran \u2014\u00a0 on these students.<\/span><\/p>\n To learn more, watch this LTV special project video.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_video src=”https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=kYBkQ4lwkDA” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” border_width_all=”10px” border_color_all=”#FFFFFF” box_shadow_style=”preset2″ global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_video][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font_size=”18px” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Andrew Peiffer, a staff attorney at Ohio State\u2019s Student Legal Services, said most of the international students he meets here at Ohio State have excellent immigration cases.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_testimonial quote_icon_color=”#000000″ quote_icon_background_color=”#a7b1b7″ use_icon_font_size=”on” icon_font_size=”40px” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” body_font=”||||||||” body_font_size=”18px” background_color=”#d2516b” border_width_all=”10px” border_color_all=”#FFFFFF” box_shadow_style=”preset2″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n \u201cThe vast majority of my clients, students here at Ohio State, have squeaky clean records. They entered the country legally with usually a student visa,\u201d Peiffer said. \u201cThey are highly qualified, future employees, and they don’t present any kinds of admissibility concerns along the lines of crime or national security or things like that. So I’m very fortunate in that most of the students that I work with have excellent resumes and more options than a lot of other people who are seeking immigration benefits.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_testimonial][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.thelantern.com\/projects\/files\/2025\/04\/Iran-students.png” title_text=”Iran students” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” box_shadow_style=”preset2″ global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_text_color=”#ba0c2f” text_font_size=”12px” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n The number of Iranian students at Ohio State has grown from 29 in autumn 2013 to 97 in spring 2025. Credit: Carter Kohli | Lantern TV Special Projects Producer<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_text_color=”#000000″ text_font_size=”18px” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n C\u00e9sar Cuauht\u00e9moc Garc\u00eda Hern\u00e1ndez, a professor at Ohio State\u2019s Moritz College of Law, said policy changes from one presidential administration to the next can change how willing the U.S. government is to issue student visas and how likely people are to apply.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_testimonial quote_icon_background_color=”#a7b1b7″ use_icon_font_size=”on” icon_font_size=”40px” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” body_font=”||on||||||” body_text_color=”#000000″ body_font_size=”18px” background_color=”#d2516b” border_width_all=”10px” border_color_all=”#FFFFFF” box_shadow_style=”preset2″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n “The more wrenches that the federal government throws in their path, the more likely they\u2019re going to think hard about beginning their educational careers, perhaps even their professional careers, outside of the United States,\u201d Garc\u00eda Hern\u00e1ndez said.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_testimonial][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.thelantern.com\/projects\/files\/2025\/04\/students-visas.png” title_text=”students visas” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” box_shadow_style=”preset2″ global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_text_color=”#ba0c2f” text_font_size=”12px” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n The number of student visas issued increased during former President Joe Biden’s time in office. Credit: Carter Kohli | Lantern TV Special Projects Producer<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_text_color=”#000000″ text_font_size=”18px” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Peter Hahn, a professor in Ohio State\u2019s Department of History, said the United States does not currently maintain diplomatic relations with Iran and is likely careful when screening Iranians looking to come to the United States.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_testimonial portrait_url=”http:\/\/placekitten.com\/200\/300″ quote_icon_color=”#000000″ quote_icon_background_color=”#a7b1b7″ portrait_width=”1px” portrait_height=”1px” use_icon_font_size=”on” icon_font_size=”40px” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” body_font=”||on||||||” body_text_color=”#000000″ body_font_size=”18px” background_color=”#d2516b” border_width_all=”10px” border_color_all=”#FFFFFF” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n \u201cIt’s probably fair to say that the security standards pertaining to applicants from Iran these days are going to be a little higher in America, a little more thoroughly investigated and enforced than applicants from other countries. Without that history of tension in the relationship with Washington,\u201d Hahn said.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_testimonial][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Credit: Lucy Lawler | Managing Editor for DesignFor aspiring Buckeyes from Iran, acceptance into Ohio State is only one step in a complicated and often challenging journey.\u00a0 In addition to the application and acceptance stress facing their American peers, students from Iran must navigate a maze of visa restrictions, travel to a neighboring country for […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4234,"featured_media":9811,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"project_category":[],"project_tag":[],"coauthors":[720],"class_list":["post-9798","project","type-project","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thelantern.com\/projects\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/project\/9798","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thelantern.com\/projects\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/project"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thelantern.com\/projects\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/project"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thelantern.com\/projects\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4234"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thelantern.com\/projects\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9798"}],"version-history":[{"count":46,"href":"https:\/\/www.thelantern.com\/projects\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/project\/9798\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9872,"href":"https:\/\/www.thelantern.com\/projects\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/project\/9798\/revisions\/9872"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thelantern.com\/projects\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9811"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thelantern.com\/projects\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9798"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"project_category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thelantern.com\/projects\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/project_category?post=9798"},{"taxonomy":"project_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thelantern.com\/projects\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/project_tag?post=9798"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thelantern.com\/projects\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=9798"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}