Thousands of international students in United States face uncertainty as scholarships halted

Halyna Morozova, an international student from Ukraine studying at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville under the Fulbright program, told ABC News that she received only a week's worth of financial aid instead of the full month's allowance.

Morozova, who teaches Ukrainian at the university, was notified by the Institute of International Education (IIE) that her monthly grant of $750 would be reduced to $187.50. She expressed uncertainty regarding the continuation of her financial support and her ability to remain in the U.S.

Similarly, Frida Larios, a student at California State University, discovered that her funding had been suspended while already in Seoul, South Korea, as part of the Gilman scholarship program. Larios anticipated receiving approximately $3,000 for her trip but has since faced financial insecurity, according to the New York Times.

In February, the U.S. State Department announced a temporary suspension of grant funding affecting various study-abroad scholarships and government exchange programs. Although initially set to resume on Feb. 27, funding remains suspended, creating ongoing uncertainty in the sector.

The Fulbright Association stated that this suspension impacts over 12,500 U.S. nationals currently abroad or preparing for upcoming exchanges. An additional 7,400 foreign nationals studying in the U.S. are also expected to be affected.

"The freeze on State Department grant programs threatens the survival of study abroad and international exchange programs that are essential to U.S. economic and national security," the Association of International Educators (NAFSA) said in a press release.