zomhud

1. None knows! We can only hope everything will be at least start to get back to normal in the next 45-60 days. Worst case scenario, we will be in a situation to think about survive only. Hope we won't be there.
2. I am not sure about it. I am to join a PhD program. I can do the courses online but it won't help me much from my home. I am not acquainted with the US education system, there is a high chance I mess up everything. There is less chance I get help from others in distance learning. And most importantly, I won't be able to attend my lab rotations which are more important because that will help me to select my PhD supervisor! 
3. Actually I have got a fellowship, so I won't have to pay the fees. But I am not sure what will happen to the stipend, tuition waiver etc. after the pandemic due to the economic rescission. I am pretty worried about it. 
4. I talked to the grad coordinator of my department. He said the situation is still developing and nothing can be said. But they will try their best to meet the student's interest. May be they will offer a semester defer.
For now, we can just wait and pray for the world.

1. None knows! We can only hope everything will be at least start to get back to normal in the next 45-60 days. Worst case scenario, we will be in a situation to think about survive only. Hope we won't be there.
2. I am not sure about it. I am to join a PhD program. I can do the courses online but it won't help me much from my home. I am not acquainted with the US education system, there is a high chance I mess up everything. There is less chance I get help from others in distance learning. And most importantly, I won't be able to attend my lab rotations which are more important because that will help me to select my PhD supervisor! 
3. Actually I have got a fellowship, so I won't have to pay the fees. But I am not sure what will happen to the stipend, tuition waiver etc. after the pandemic due to the economic rescission. I am pretty worried about it. 
4. I talked to the grad coordinator of my department. He said the situation is still developing and nothing can be said. But they will try their best to meet the student's interest. May be they will offer a semester defer.
For now, we can just wait and pray for the world.

Nearly all the international students take their decisions without even stepping at the school. They have been doing this for years. I know the situation is totally different. You can still email your potential PIs, contact the current and ex-students of the PI. 

I am a current international graduate student, so even though I'm in a different situation, I understand your concerns. However, I would like to offer a more optimistic perspective. The new academic year will start on sooner than in five months. No one knows how the virus will develop till then, but even if things do not get better, I don't think a travel ban can be sustained for so long. By that time I am positive there will be better coping mechanisms in place. I really doubt that come September travel bans will make sense anymore. It is natural to worry about something as momentous as grad school in these difficult times, but there is still light ahead!

Nearly all the international students take their decisions without even stepping at the school. They have been doing this for years. I know the situation is totally different. You can still email your potential PIs, contact the current and ex-students of the PI. 

I can't help but wonder slightly too. I live in WA state, which the epicenter of US outbreak and am also seriously considering Canadian school offers. They are just across the border in BC and I highly doubt they will close the US-Canadian border, but you just never know. My thoughts are with those students that in countries that have a travel ban imposed on them - this must be all very nerve wracking.

The school itself isn't likely to do anything negative but they might decide to defer international admits until a later semester or something. It will be up to individual schools on how they will handle it depending on how long the crisis lasts. Some schools have already mentioned what they'll do and some haven't.
However, one could expect that visa applications might not be approved or be delayed if things continue. Many foreign nationals are currently barred from entering the US (Europe, China, Iran, etc.). I'd expect that if this happened, the school would work with you to find an accommodation.

same here. I am an undergrad. my university postponed the classes for 3 weeks. I might not even graduate this year. This thing has literally spoiled everything. So if I accept the offer i got, and I can't start my PhD, who is to blame, me?, my university, US university, China?
I can't help but think about the next year. Do I have to apply again? What about the money I already spent on ten university applications, GRE Toefl Scores and etc.
I also don't get how people here don't talk about this. THIS IS REAL AND HERE. They still post about how they should decide which school to go and etc. Guys come on. We should be talking about this, asking questions to admission offices and etc. many of us might end up with nothing in hand for next year. 

I am an international student who got an admission offer from some US graduate schools. I am worried about this Coronavirus outbreak. I applied for Fall 2020. I am worried that this outbreak might interfere with me starting the Fall term. The US government might not give me a Visa or the schools I got admitted to might cancel classes if the situation keeps getting worse. Does anyone here have similar concerns? 

I ended up e-mailing and asking about COVID-19 and admissions decisions...I will let y'all know if they get back to me.

This is a possibility depending on how long it takes. I'm in my 2nd year. My university just moved to online distance learning. We meet via a Zoom-type thing through Blackboard. It sucks, but it is what it is. 
If you're an international student, I would plan for this 14 day quarantine just in case. Better safe than sorry. 

Hey,
I've thought about the same. I'm an international student and considering Harvard and MIT just sent their students home for spring break indefinitely; I'm not sure what the situation will be in August. Will the start of school be delayed? 

As a faculty member, this week has been overwhelming and chaotic for us all. Given how scared and uncertain students (and faculty) have felt this week, having recently learned of the existence of GradCafe it occurred to me that hearing from a faculty member might be helpful to some of you and so I planned to start a post expressing my support. However, upon seeing this thread, I wanted to address the initial poster's concern first and then share my thoughts (albeit - I am just one perspective).
My university, like so many, has moved to online-only instruction until mid-April, at minimum. I teach a graduate cognitive assessment class. Even if it were possible to teach test administration online (which I doubt anyone could do well - I certainly cannot), my students have to share some test kits with each other plus given the interactive nature of cognitive testing, it would be impossible for my students to administer a test battery and not touch objects that the testee also touches. #WAISIVCOVID19Outbreak is not the hashtag I want to follow my students or I, because we have an obligation to, above all else, do no harm. The skills-based aspect of my course will be on hold until we can resume in-person instruction. That means I, and my students, will need to be flexible regarding making up the missed classes, but I am willing to give up part of my summer to make sure my students are prepared in the way they need to be.
Let's hope that we're out of the woods by August! That said, as current students, prospective students, and students who will be entering a program in Fall 2020 - it is not your job to worry about how the COVID-19 crisis will affect your education. I understand may of you will worry, and that's okay - but your professors are and will do everything they can to make sure your education continues as planned.
All that said, I hope everyone is okay. For those of you who had to leave campus abruptly, I am sorry. For those of you who had spring-break plans cancelled, I am sorry. For anyone who is scared - you are not alone. For anyone who is angry about this disruption - you are not alone. I can only imagine how hard it must be to be a student or future student right now. Most (I want to believe all of ) your professors are doing the best they can. I realize that may not feel like enough, but it's the best we can do right now. Please take care of yourselves and if you are feeling anxious about the fall, do reach out to current faculty or POIs. We're here.
 
 

I guess I don't really know, but I don't think most schools will start rescinding admissions unless the financial crisis caused by the virus is worse than 2008. Most schools maintain a waitlist just in case the yield is lower than they expect. I suspect they just won't make as many offers off the waitlist.

Travel bans are being imposed and consulates are being closed down in many countries. So, what's going to happen to international students? Are their admission and/or funding going to be cancelled if things don't get better? What can happen in worst case scenario? I am very anxious about the situation. 

This is the only thing that has been on my mind as I've been stressing about this and it is helping me relax. Many east Asian applicants aren't allowed a VISA even for the short open house visit, and yet they make the best of whatever school they accept at and do amazing things with their advisers regardless of "checking out their potential advisers personalities" before accepting there.

Nearly all the international students take their decisions without even stepping at the school. They have been doing this for years. I know the situation is totally different. You can still email your potential PIs, contact the current and ex-students of the PI. 

Nearly all the international students take their decisions without even stepping at the school. They have been doing this for years. I know the situation is totally different. You can still email your potential PIs, contact the current and ex-students of the PI.