KC university paperwork error strands international students
The gist
A paperwork error at Avila University left 11 international students unsure they can stay after graduating.
The kinesiology program lost its STEM designation, cutting their US work time.
How it unfolded
- Aug 2026Emily, an Avila student set to graduate in December, checked her immigration paperwork and found the kinesiology master's program had no STEM designation; she contacted the university thinking it was a clerical error.
- Sep 2026Avila told Kwesi and ten other international students in the MS in Kinesiology program that a paperwork error had occurred.
- Sep 24, 2026Provost Laura Hartley sent Emily a letter saying the university had enrolled the students with a "good faith belief" that the STEM designation had been communicated to the state of Missouri.
Key terms
- STEM designation
- A classification marking a program as part of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics fields, which affects education and immigration policy.
- F-1 student visas
- A US non-immigrant visa class allowing foreign students to pursue full-time education in the United States.
- Optional Practical Training (OPT)
- A period when F-1 students may work in the US for one year to gain training related to their studies.
Source: Wikipedia