YOUNGSTOWN - In April, hundreds of international students across the country, including 15 from YSU, had their visas revoked.

The visas were then reinstated, but some students had already gone home.

In fact, embassy interviews and visa appointments are significantly decreasing. The change is causing International students to be turned away from universities.

Youngstown State University is looking to address how it can get some of those international students. Mike Sherman, institutional effectiveness vice president for YSU, said a plan is already underway that would attract students from other countries.

Sherman’s first thought is to change the marketing strategy. This strategy would target their marketing in countries where many student visa applications are accepted. 

“How do we look at perhaps, are there countries that, from a diplomatic relations perspective, [that] we need to consider. Because maybe their interviews haven't gone down and they've stayed up, and maybe we need to start looking at those countries as strategies to mitigate the countries where those interviews have been reduced,” said Sherman.

YSU will also be attending fairs in 2026 to speak with international students who already started their education in the states. Their hope is to attract students who got their associates degree, but want to further their education.

“To introduce Youngstown State University as a complete opportunity for the associate degrees going to bachelor's degrees that, based upon our price point, should make us very, very competitive, and now with the online opportunities, it might even make us more competitive,” said Sherman.

Sherman also mentioned changes that could go into effect in the coming years, including requiring international students to stay with a University for two semesters and not allowing students to stay for more than four years.