The United States government has announced that international students cannot stay in the country if the school they are studying at offers online-only courses during the fall semester.

Those who fail to adhere may be deported, reported NBC News.

This was announced by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency in a news release.

ICE said:

"Students on F-1 and M-1 visas who face such a situation "must depart the country or take other measures, such as transferring to a school with in-person instruction to remain in lawful status"

"If not, they may face immigration consequences including, but not limited to, the initiation of removal proceedings."

If international students do not find a suitable alternative such as transferring to another school offering in-person classes, they will have no choice but to leave the country.

Brad Farnsworth, the vice president of the American Council on Education told CNN that this piece of news "is going to create more confusion and more uncertainty".

He added that he and many others were surprised by the news.

Farnsworth also questioned what would happen to international students if the Covid-19 pandemic in the U.S. worsens in the fall, and universities that hold in-person classes switch to online classes.

Harvard goes online

This comes after some U.S. universities such as Harvard switch to online-only courses during the fall semester in light of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Harvard had announced that all courses will be moved online:

"All course instruction (undergraduate and graduate) for the 2020-21 academic year will be delivered online. Students will learn remotely, whether or not they live on campus."

According to CNN, Larry Bacow who is the Harvard University President said in a statement in response to the new rules announced by ICE:

"We are deeply concerned that the guidance issued today by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement imposes a blunt, one-size-fits-all approach to a complex problem giving international students, particularly those in online programs, few options beyond leaving the country or transferring schools."

Bacow also said it "undermines the thoughtful approach taken on behalf of students by so many institutions, including Harvard, to plan for continuing academic programmes while balancing the health and safety challenges of the global pandemic."

"We will work closely with other colleges and universities around the country to chart a path forward."

Fox Business reports that tuition fees at Harvard for the academic year 2020-2021 will remain unchanged and will cost US$49,653 (S$69,152).

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Top photo via Harvard