Marie-Claire Wangari, a global health policy and advocacy consultant based in Nairobi, Kenya, is currently applying for scholarships to do a master’s program in the United States. The process is fraught with worry.
“If I get this scholarship to go to the U.S. will I, number one, get my visa to allow me to study and, two, will I be able to successfully be able to do my studies without any fear of bias and discrimination?” she told Devex.
Her concerns are not baseless. Research on study visas to the U.S. for 2022 showed that 54% of African students had their applications denied compared to just 9% of European students. Even when the visa is shorter-term to attend international development conferences, many also get their applications denied. Not just to the U.S. but to Europe, too.