International doctoral students and postdoctoral scholars contribute significantly to U.S. scientific research, innovation, and global competitiveness. However, these visa holders often face systemic barriers that limit their ability to build independent, fulfilling careers. Restrictions on access to scholarships and immigration threaten to stifle career agency, forcing national institutions to lose the global talent they cultivate to drive discovery and advancement.
Based on insights from our recently published book, Become a thriving international scientist (University of California Press), this article outlines the key challenges facing international scientists and the concrete steps that universities, employers, and scientific associations can take to achieve successful careers in their dynamic careers.
Systemic barriers to career independence
The United States relies on international talent to sustain its scientific enterprise. By 2023, nearly 41% of doctoral students will have earned a PhD. 58% of students and postdocs at American universities hold visas, and international scholars account for 34% of PhDs. By 2022, the proportion of graduates will rise from 11% in 1977.
While U.S. universities remain a global leader in training and hiring a strong international science workforce, the recent anti-immigrant climate in the U.S. and increasing global competition for STEM talent threaten this long-term advantage. Two issues affecting international scientists are particularly pressing: limited access to independent research fellowships, and visa policies that limit career flexibility.
- Reduced scholarship leads to reduced agency. International scientists have access to fewer scholarships to support their independent research ideas. Data from the main sources of STEM doctoral funding show that 17% of international doctoral funding comes from STEM doctoral funding. By 2022, students will rely primarily on scholarships, fellowships, or thesis funding, compared with 29% of U.S. citizens and permanent residents. More than half of international Ph.D. Science and engineering students at U.S. universities rely on funding from faculty mentors through research assistantships, compared with only one-third of domestic students (citizens and permanent residents).
This dependence limits their autonomy to define research directions or confidently pursue professional development and internship opportunities. As a result, only 22% of international PhDs are awarded a PhD. Graduates of American universities are committed to academic careers (excluding postdocs) in 2022, in part because of a severe lack of independent grant experience, a key qualification for faculty roles.
- Visa restrictions on professional mobility. Visa regulations often restrict international scientists to narrowly defined “research-related” roles in academia or industry. This restriction effectively excludes them from emerging career paths such as science business, science policy, science communication, entrepreneurship, university administration, and nonprofit leadership until they obtain permanent residency.
They are also particularly vulnerable to economic downturns or layoffs. Work visas often have a 60-day grace period to secure new employment opportunities and maintain legal immigration status, which puts a huge strain on individuals and families. With rising costs and uncertainty about H-1B work visas, employers may also be hesitant to hire international scientists, exacerbating career instability for this important segment of the STEM workforce.
what college can do
We expand on recommendations for university international talent programs provided by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and the American Association of University Doctorates in the Changing Global Environment Consensus Report. Educational Initiatives. Universities can take the following actions to better support international doctoral students. Students and postdocs:
- Expand access to independent funding. Increase funding visibility through databases like Pivot and create matching scholarship opportunities from institutional, corporate and philanthropic sources open to non-citizens.
- Track and leverage alumni outcomes. Analyze doctoral and postdoc career outcomes by citizenship and location to strengthen global networks of alumni mentors and mentees.
- Doctoral professional development. Provide STEM PhDs with much-needed holistic skills training to solve tough problems, advance emerging technologies, and develop knowledge for a range of careers. holder.
- Incorporate professional development into the curriculum. Incorporate professional development and career preparation into graduate and postdoctoral programs, rather than being limited to extracurricular seminars, to encourage international scientist participation.
- Promote equitable internship opportunities. Simplify and expand experiential learning opportunities by using course hands-on training paths. Departments may offer practicum courses through which students can use CPT or be encouraged to incorporate insights from their practicum into their thesis. Create more practical opportunities for students to broadly apply their research skills, enabling them to successfully obtain work visas for different occupations.
At Princeton University, one of us developed a dedicated career development series for international graduate students that integrates creative design, purposeful career planning, immigrant literacy, and global career strategies. This approach can help international scholars build resilience, community, and agency as they grapple with complex systems and uncertain futures.
The role of scientific and professional bodies
Scientific and professional associations have powerful leverage to drive systemic change across the country. Through initiatives that promote advocacy, partnerships and innovation, they can expand the impact of international scientists and develop more inclusive policies.
- Diversified financing models. As scientific leaders reconsider how they continue to fund STEM research, including through convening (e.g., NASEM and UIDP) to fund graduate student and postdoctoral programs at scale in the United States, public-private philanthropic partnerships must intentionally incorporate international graduate student and postdoc considerations into their planning and implementation.
- Professional development is required. Following precedent from the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health, foundations and philanthropic funders can make career and professional development a standard component of scholarships and funded research grants.
- Mobilizing advocacy through data. Public-facing dashboards, such as NAFSA’s International Student Economic Value Tool and the Institute for Advancement’s OPT Observatory, demonstrate the economic and intellectual value of international scientists. These are powerful tools for storytelling, advocacy and policy change.
- Encourage immigrants to innovate. In addition to ongoing legislative efforts, such as the bipartisan Retention in STEM Act, which aims to support America’s STEM workforce, the philanthropic sector can pilot creative solutions. For example, Renaissance Philanthropy’s Talent Mobility Fund raises awareness of underutilized immigration pathways such as O-1 and J-1 visas, diversifying pathways for STEM researchers.
Employer Responsibilities
Employers in all sectors (universities, for-profit industries, and not-for-profit organizations) have a shared responsibility to develop transparent and informed hiring practices for visa holders. Too often, candidates have to initiate uncomfortable sponsorship discussions during job interviews. Instead, hiring managers should proactively coordinate with HR and legal teams forward Post a position to determine sponsorship possibilities, costs and timelines. Even small changes, such as clearly stating “visa sponsorship available” (or not) in job descriptions, can have a significant impact in promoting fairness in recruitment.
Moving Forward: Shared Responsibility for Systemic Change
Thriving as an international scientist is not just a matter of ethics and fairness, it is a strategic imperative for the future of American science and innovation. Universities, scientific societies, funders and employers have a shared responsibility to engage in removing systemic barriers and expanding opportunities for international scientists in a variety of careers.
While large-scale policy changes may take time, meaningful progress can be achieved through small, immediate steps:
- Expand access to independent funding and internships,
- Increase transparency through data, and
- Cultivate a mentoring and advocacy network.
By helping international scientists build dynamic, independent careers, we not only enhance their futures, but also the vitality and global leadership of the U.S. research enterprise.
