For more than 35 years, international students in the US on F-1 visas could take internships, practicums and field placements tied to their studies, as long as the experience earned academic credit or was required for their degree. That changed in August. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), now tells colleges to approve these placements only when a student could not possibly finish the degree without them, and only if every student in that program must do the same work.

The new limits came in two short notices that ICE framed as reminders of existing rules. There was no public comment period and no explanation for dropping a standard that had stood for decades. Schools were warned they could lose the ability to host international students, and staff who sign off on placements were reminded they do so under penalty of perjury.

The timing hit hard. Michigan State University (MSU) had to deny 62 pending applications the week before fall classes began, according to a court declaration from its international student office. One chemistry doctoral student had to turn down two research fellowships. A computer science undergraduate lost a Fortune 500 internship. A music doctoral student could no longer teach a scheduled course at a nearby university, which then had to cancel the class.

“Fewer international students will be a loss felt by the entire MSU community,” wrote Krista McCallum Beatty, director of MSU’s international student office.

Hands-on training like a psychology student observing a therapist or a law student clerking for a judge is a core part of learning, not a loophole. DHS and ICE should withdraw the August notices and restore the long-standing rule that counts credit-bearing placements, and any future change should go through a fair, public process.

Sign the petition to restore the rule before another semester of hard-earned opportunities is lost.