The U.S. government has revealed a proposal to set fixed terms of up to four years for student visas. 

According to U.S. media, the Department of Homeland Security announced last Thursday a proposed rule to remove the duration of status framework that currently allows foreigners with F, J and I classifications to remain in the United States for as long as they maintain compliance with the terms of admission. 

F visas are issued for students, J visas for exchange visitors and I visas for foreign information media representatives.  

Under the proposed rule, F or J nonimmigrants would be admitted into the U.S. for a period not to exceed four years. Foreigners from countries designated as state sponsors of terrorism or associated with high visa overstay rates will be limited to up to a two-year fixed period of stay. 

When their visas expire, nonimmigrants will be allowed to legally extend their stay or re-apply for admission.  

If the proposed rule were to take effect, international students taking part in Ph.D. programs in the U.S. are set to take the biggest hit as it takes more than four years to acquire a doctoral degree.  

According to the Council of Graduate schools, there are more than 88-thousand foreign students studying at grad schools in the U.S.