Nearly no other sectors of domestic operations have been impacted as drastically by recent government actions as those involving international mobility. Executive Orders such as those regarding "Extreme Vetting" [1] have recalibrated the entire conversation around foreign onboarding. Simultaneously, overall international enrollment has cratered in the last reported semester [2].

In response to such events, universities seek immediate measures to stabilize numbers and “course correct” their policies. It is essential right now to maintain a floor, a baseline if you will, in admissions numbers while you and your team devise new strategies and workarounds. Partnering with a secure, dependable evaluation service like Veri Once helps to alleviate immediate quality control burdens in the face of increased stringency.

Far-reaching impacts include:

- Improved equity and integrity in int'l admissions

- Reliable results and turnaround in a time of flux

- Admissions decisions that can stand to increased scrutiny

- Elevated reputation and distinction in the int'l community

- Better overall optics

Greater Equity and Fairness in the Enrollment Process

Given all of the new regulations and security measures (coming at such a pace that NAFSA has an entire page devoted to tracking them [3]), it is of paramount importance that all students who elect to continue with an admissions application do so with a high degree of security, and that no one is penalized unjustly based on hasty enforcement of new protocols.

For example: a student could bring in a transcript from a region with a history of normalized credential fraudulence. In the current climate, an admissions officer could be quick to flag the transcript rather than get into the weeds of determining authenticity. Using dedicated, expert evaluators like Veri Once, this procedure can be offloaded with total faith and confidence in the results. Admissions teams can have the utmost assurance that no one is falling through the cracks unnecessarily simply due to the current climate.

Dependable and Reliable Results at a Critical Flashpoint

Some evaluation services have widely varying timetables for releasing reports, which is not ideal in a time when admissions departments are simply trying to stabilize operations. A dependable, efficient service such as Veri Once (with its automation-enhanced reports) can

keep the enrollment process running smoothly and help to prevent concerning variance in month-to-month totals.

Quality Control to Meet Extreme Vetting

The Executive Order enforcing stringent visa standards [1] ties universities to their admissions decisions more prominently than ever before. Universities need to ensure that said decisions are defensible and meet the highest accountability thresholds. Veri Once’s evaluations team uses time-tested, reliable credential evaluation frameworks that maintain internal consistency, support decision‑making, and protect against claims of bias or error during potential audits.

Positive Impacts on Institutional Credibility &amp; Reputation

As the sweeping changes take effect, it will soon enough be revealed which universities are responding the most efficiently and fairly to foreign prospects. A consensus will naturally form in the international student community around a set of universities that can be counted on to process applications smoothly and knowledgeably. HEIs that depend on reliable, economical and trustworthy evaluation providers such as Veri Once will self-select as high value and attractive to current and future cohorts of prospective international students.

Optics

University leadership is likely to ask something along the lines of: What are you doing to respond to these stricter guidelines? Entrusting your evaluations to a secure, quality-first service (e.g. Veri Once) is beneficial to admissions departments in that it provides proof positive of action being taken to meet the moment. The optics of such a partnership are helpful in allaying concerns from up top and providing all vested parties with a high degree of reassurance in the veracity of the admittance process.

Conclusion

In short, institutions that invest in strong, transparent, and up‑to‑date evaluation standards will be better equipped to admit qualified students, maintain their integrity, and reduce the kinds of delays or misjudgments that can harm both applicants and universities at this unprecedented juncture.

[1] “Trump administration issues executive orders on extreme vetting (including possible travel bans) and birthright citizenship.” Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer, 23 Jan. 2025. https://www.hsfkramer.com/en_US/insights/2025-01/trump-administration-issues-executive-orders-on-extreme-vetting-including-possible-travel-bans-and-birthright-citizenship

[2] Nadworny, Elissa. “Colleges see significant drop in international students as fall semester begins.” NPR, 27 Aug. 2025. https://www.npr.org/2025/08/27/nx-s1-5498669/trump-college-international-student-visa [3] “Current U.S. Administration.” NAFSA, 24 Sep. 2025. https://www.nafsa.org/current-us-administration

Juan Garibaldi has 17 years of experience as a credential evaluator and works as Director of Credential Evaluations at Veri Once.