Once, Campbellsville and the University of the Cumberlands played significant roles in attracting international students to Kentucky, owing to their affordable tuition and adaptable on-site demands. Around 2019 and 2020, they together attracted 84% of Kentucky’s international master’s students.

Nonetheless, upon reviewing the data from ICE (refer to the image below), you’ll observe a significant decline of nearly 35% in their enrollment of international students over the past 2 years. What could be the reason behind this decline?

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In 2019, ICE, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), executed a groundbreaking operation, leading to the apprehension of numerous foreign students. These students were enrolled at the fictitious University of Farmington, a nonexistent institution fabricated as part of a sophisticated sting orchestrated by ICE in 2015. The principal aim of this undercover initiative was to dismantle and combat the prevalent “pay-to-stay” immigration schemes that had been exploiting the system.

During that period, while the overall count of international students was decreasing nationwide, Campbellsville and the University of the Cumberlands experienced significant spikes in enrollment, marking them as outliers among higher education institutions. Despite both schools holding accreditation and supervisors assuring students of the legitimacy of their programs, the shadow of the “University of Farmington case” caused many to fret. Concerns arose that, given similar Curricular Practical Training (CPT) setups, these universities might become ICE’s next targets, potentially leading to a decline in enrollment in the upcoming years. Immigration lawyers also voiced apprehensions regarding the establishment of these Day 1 CPT programs, contrasting the claim made by the then associate vice president of enrollment at UC, Terry Jarboe, who stated, “It [the day 1 CPT program] is an enhanced version of higher education.”

Following the incidents, both universities introduced slight reforms to enhance the credibility of their programs. These measures included, but were not limited to, augmenting the frequency of on-site attendance, establishing new campuses in proximity to major corporations, partnering with prominent enterprises like IBM to enhance the legitimate employment opportunities for STEM students, imposing stricter criteria for F1 status upkeep, and rigorously enforcing CPT renewal prerequisites, among others. Evidently, despite their frequent association with the “University of Farmington case,” these two universities are now regarded as secure options for international students.

Is there an official Blacklisted Day 1 CPT Universities? Additionally, will the USCIS or ICE periodically revise this list based on the actions of schools?

Contrary to the existence of an official blacklist like the Debarred Companies list for H1B sponsors,

No official list designated by USCIS, SEVP, or the US Department of State exists for F1 students. Although incidents such as the Tri-Valley State University raids in 2011, which impacted 1555 international students, raised concerns, there is no officially recognized compilation of blacklisted schools.

In the absence of an official list, students have taken it upon themselves to create their own based on parameters such as lack of accreditation or other factors. However, it’s crucial to understand that such lists lack official recognition or endorsement from any government agency. Thus, when individuals encounter a list of blacklisted universities in the US, it essentially comprises compilations made by students based on their own criteria, designating certain schools as unfavorable.

Enrolling students with modest qualifications and bypassing standard criteria.

A common feature of Blacklisted Day 1 CPT schools is their acceptance of students with significantly low academic profiles. For example, although it is common to waive language requirements for transfer F1 students, some unaccredited Day 1 CPT universities even try to waive language requirements for those who had never been educated in an English-speaking country.

Lack of proper accreditation

The absence of proper accreditation or accreditation from unrecognized entities (Accreditation Mills) should serve as a warning sign for students. Regional accreditation outweighs national accreditation in importance within the United States.

+ list of accredited day 1 CPT universities and their accreditations

Day 1 CPT Universities	Location	Accreditation
California Institute of Advanced Management	Alhambra, CA	WSCUC
Dallas Baptist University	Dallas, TX	SACSCOC
Harrisburg University	Harrisburg, PA	MSCHE
Humphrey University	Stockton, CA	WASC
International Technological University	Santa Clara, CA	WASC
McDaniel University	Westminster, MD	MSCHE
Monroe College	New Rochelle, NY	MSCHE
National Louis University	Tampa, FL	HLC
New England College	Henniker, NH	NECHE
Ottawa University	Overland Park, KSBrookfield, WIPhoenix, AZ	CHEA
Saint Peter’s University	Jersey City, NJ	MSCHE
Sofia University	Palo Alto, CACosta Mesa, CA	WASC
Sullivan University	Louisville, KYLexington, KY	SACSCOC
Trine University	Allen Park, MIPhoenix, AZ	HLC
University of the Cumberlands	Williamsburg, KYFlorence, KYSeattle, WA	SACSCOC
Westcliff University	Irvine, CACerritos, CAMiami, FL	WASCWSCUC

Participation in illicit activities and disregarding regulations.

Day 1 CPT universities involved in illicit activities, such as visa fraud, undergo scrutiny and may be subject to blacklisting. One notable instance is Tri-Valley State University, which encountered repercussions for visa fraud and subsequently faced an ICE raid affecting around 1555 students.

The admission threshold is very low

Certain Day 1 CPT universities may inform their students that physical presence on campus is unnecessary. All classes are conducted via Zoom, allowing students to fully concentrate on their internships. While this may seem appealing, it violates USCIS regulations. Exercise extra caution if encountering a school without a physical campus that claims attendance is not required. Whether Day 1 CPT or not, F1 status is granted to full-time students. Maintaining F1 status necessitates fulfilling all responsibilities, including attending on-site classes for a minimum of 8 hours per semester and maintaining an overall GPA of at least 3.0, among other requirements.

To safeguard themselves, students are encouraged to conduct thorough research on prospective schools. Consulting the US Department of Education’s website for accredited institutions is essential. It’s worth noting that the “blacklisted universities” list circulating online essentially mirrors the compilation of unaccredited schools available on Wikipedia. Keeping abreast of recognized accreditations is vital for making informed decisions regarding higher education pursuits.