WASHINGTON, D.C.: With women barred from universities in Afghanistan, 21-year-old Bahara Saghari sought opportunities abroad and secured admission to a private liberal arts college in Illinois to study business administration. After years of intensive English study, she was preparing to begin classes this fall. Her plans, however, were disrupted by President Donald Trump's travel ban, which restricts entry for citizens of several countries.

"You think that finally you are going to your dream, and then something comes up and like, everything's just gone," Saghari said.

She is not alone. Thousands of students from around the world have found themselves stranded after investing years of preparation and significant financial resources to study in the United States. The Trump administration's restrictions, which affect citizens from 19 countries, have led to delayed visa processing, tougher vetting, and widespread uncertainty. While the broader immigration crackdown deters some students, those from countries on the travel ban list face the steepest hurdles.

According to State Department records, more than 5,700 student and research visas were granted last year to applicants from the 19 affected nations between May and September. Iran and Myanmar accounted for over half of those visas. Yet many of those students, despite acceptance letters in hand, are now unable to begin their studies.

Pouya Karami, a 17-year-old from Shiraz, Iran, had planned to pursue polymer chemistry at Pittsburg State University in Kansas. "No other country offers the same research opportunities in science," he said. But the ban forced him to defer admission until next year. He is preparing for his embassy interview while lobbying U.S. politicians to reconsider the restrictions.

In Myanmar, where civil conflict has intensified since the 2021 military coup, families sacrifice heavily to send children abroad. One 18-year-old, who goes by Gu Gu, celebrated his acceptance to the University of South Florida with relatives before learning his visa hopes had collapsed overnight. "I was all in for U.S., so this kind of breaks my heart," he said. Unlike Karami, Gu Gu cannot defer his place.

Saghari, meanwhile, has scrambled to find alternatives. She postponed and later canceled her visa interview in Pakistan when it became clear she would not qualify under the ban. Knox College declined to hold her admission, and additional testing requirements and upfront tuition demands have complicated her attempts to enroll in Europe.

Other aspiring scholars, like Amir, a 28-year-old Iranian researcher, have been forced to abandon funded positions at U.S. universities. He was scheduled to begin work at the University of Pennsylvania, but remains in Tehran, pursuing opportunities in Europe instead.

"You lose this idealistic view of the world," Amir said. "You think if you work hard and contribute, you will be welcomed. And then you realize maybe you are not wanted. That's hard to accept."