By Luqian (Ariel) Li | Talon Co-Executive Editor
International graduate students in Florida from the “seven countries of concern” state that they have been negatively impacted by recent statewide policies.
Florida Senate Bill 864, also known as the ‘Agreements of Educational Entities with Foreign Entities Act’ was passed unanimously in May 2023. It is part of a wider effort by Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) to “counteract the malign influence of the Chinese Communist Party.”
This bill prohibits state universities and Florida College System institutions from forming “partnerships,” defined as “a faculty or student exchange program, study abroad program, articulation program, recruiting program, or dual degree program,” with institutions based in the “seven countries of concern.” These countries are China, Russia, Cuba, Venezuela, Syria, Iran, and North Korea.
Critics of the bill say it hinders Florida’s ability to hire, as well as lowers university acceptance rates, for capable graduate students currently residing in these seven countries.
As the U.S. is ranked No. 1 on the list of top countries for STEM research, this bill affects foreign STEM students greatly, potentially more so than students pursuing majors outside of STEM fields.
Dr. Jiangeng Xue, a professor in the Department of Materials Science & Engineering at the University of Florida, said he is both shocked by and disappointed in this course of action Florida took.
Xue came to the U.S. in 1998 for its academics and research quality. In 2005, he received his Ph.D. from Princeton University. As a researcher who has benefited from the abundance of resources he had received in the U.S., Xue stressed the importance of being able to study STEM in a well-funded country.
Xue said that in his 26 years being in the U.S., he has “never seen bills like this. … It’s all political now.”
After being briefed on what the bill is, many Tallahassee Community College’s STEM students expressed similar concerns.
First-year student Revan Khan, whose father is Muslim, said his father was discriminated against after 9-11 because of his religious identity.
“I don’t see how this is beneficial at all,” Khan said. “This is just going with the old stereotypes of those countries… I highly doubt a 22-year-old is coming to overthrow our government through a research program.”
Emanuel, a first-year student who is part Iranian, said this bill is somewhat discriminatory.
“It’s borderline racist… It doesn’t make sense to bar them from a chance to have an opportunity in America, that wants to frame itself as freedom, as being the land of opportunity,” Emanuel said.
An African international student who opted to remain anonymous out of fear of reprisal voiced similar concerns.
“It’s scary and unwelcoming. … You don’t know when your country is gonna be next,” the student said.
“Education should be for everyone,” said another TCC student who asked to stay anonymous out of fear of reprisal.
Despite concerns from the student body, a TCC administrator said that TCC has not been affected by SB 846.
Candice Grause, TCC’s Chief of Staff and Vice President for Communications, said that the college is limited in size and has limited overseas recruitment; TCC does not have any partnerships or grants from the foreign countries of concern.
“As a public institution, we have always and will always comply with any laws that impact us,” Grause said. “SB 846 just isn’t an issue for us like it is for the universities.”
However, while TCC students seem to be unaffected, international students from larger state universities are already experiencing the effects of SB 846.
Third-year Chinese Florida State University student, Lauren Xinyi Chen, said the bill jeopardizes her future plans.
Chen said SB 846 may impact her future financial aid, putting her at risk of being in debt.
Chen said she feared that international students, especially the ones from the aforementioned seven countries of concern, may face more laws like this in the future.
“It’s an overall unwelcoming environment,” she said.
Because of the complications brought forth by SB 846, Chen has decided to move out of Florida after she graduates from FSU in May 2026. Prior to this new law, she planned to stay in Florida and become a secondary school teacher.
A University of Florida Chinese Ph.D. student said SB 846 is seriously affecting their mental health. This student has been experiencing high levels of anxiety and depression due to the stress this bill has caused them. They have sought help from the university’s counseling center.
SB 846’s adverse effects don’t just stop with just students. They also impact the overall research quality of Florida’s elite research institutions.
UF is ranked No. 28 of 1,827 universities in the U.S., according to the U.S. News & World Report’s 2024 Best National University Rankings.
Yet, despite its prestige, UF is struggling to fill its labs.
Xue estimates that 15-20% of UF’s Ph.D. population is either Chinese or Iranian. And due to the limitations SB 846 imposes on these students, one immediate impact of the bill is the decline in applications from these countries, resulting in a smaller number of admissions.
When asked if SB 846 will hinder the progression of Florida’s higher education, Xue answered, “Definitely.”
As a result of the bill’s questionable nature, faculty and students across the state have been in an uproar.
On March 26, faculty members and students at UF led a protest against SB 846 at the university’s student union. Many national organizations, such as the Florida Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, supported the protest. The organizers hope to attract additional local and national attention to this matter.
Two Florida International University students and a UF professor are filing a lawsuit in federal court against SB 846 for their terminated research assistant positions and a research project that may fail because of a lack of competent postdoc students.
The impact of SB 846 on Florida’s academic landscape continues to be a subject of debate, highlighting ongoing tensions between national security concerns and the principles of academic freedom and opportunity.
