In recent months, Georgia has introduced significant legislation that signals a shift in how public universities must handle foreign influence, particularly around foreign funding and institutional transparency. This change is centered on House Bill 150, a law that creates new reporting requirements for foreign funding received by state colleges and universities.

Georgia's House Bill 150 requires public universities to report any funding or partnerships linked to countries designated as foreign adversaries by the U.S. government. The legislation is intended to increase oversight and transparency over foreign influence, particularly from countries like China, Russia, and Iran.

While the policy is framed around national security and foreign state influence, it may have indirect but significant implications for international student admissions and support. Many students from abroad rely on sponsors-whether family members, governments, or institutions-to fund their education. When those sponsors are based in countries labeled as foreign adversaries, and the funds are paid directly to the university, institutions could face new compliance obligations under this law.

Importantly, Georgia's HB 150 explicitly exempts tuition or fee payments made by an individual or family member from its reporting requirements. This means the vast majority of international students, who are typically self-funded or supported by close relatives, are not affected. The law instead focuses on third-party sponsors tied to foreign governments, corporations, or institutions.

The law also sets a low reporting threshold of $1,000, meaning virtually any foreign sponsorship over that amount from a designated country of concern must be reported. Reports must be filed twice yearly, by January 31 and July 31, covering all qualifying foreign funding from the previous six months.

This evolving environment raises an important challenge: How do universities comply with these emerging rules without unintentionally creating barriers for international students or overburdening administrative processes?

What Institutions Can Do Now

Identify and track students funded by foreign entities, particularly those from adversary-designated countries.&nbsp;

Coordinate with legal and compliance teams to assess reporting obligations at the state level.

Implement standardized from-the-source verification processes for students seeking F-1, M-1, or J-1 visas to protect against noncompliance and fraud.

Use verified documentation to clearly distinguish between exempt family sponsorships and reportable foreign institutional funding.

A Practical Solution: Veri Once

Veri Once is a verification and credential evaluation platform that enables institutions to verify the authenticity of academic and financial documents directly from the source. We help universities go beyond a surface-level review and ensure sponsor funding is legitimate, clearly documented, and compliant with the latest policy changes.

For every financial document we verify-whether a bank statement, affidavit of support, or scholarship letter—we generate a detailed verification report. This report clearly records whether the document belongs to the student or a sponsor, and specifies the relationship between the sponsor and the applicant. This not only strengthens the institution's admissions decision-making process, but also ensures that international teams are fully audit-ready in the event of a compliance review.

Our Sample Veri Once Verification Report

<img alt="Report" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="04f4302e-04b6-4e0e-b72e-77657408bec3" src="https://drupal-v6rsh7lg4cnmfxpwogkrgtiptbe2skxs.verionce.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Report.png" />

From financial sponsorship to academic transcripts, Veri Once provides a secure, transparent, and auditable pathway to faster, safer admissions decisions.

In this climate of increased scrutiny, trust and transparency matter more than ever. If you're looking for a partner that understands the regulatory landscape and can help you meet it with confidence, let’s talk.: