US student visa rules create post-grad hurdles for DePaul

October 30, 2026

US student visa rules spark local housing and job hurdles

Down in Lakeview East, where campus life bleeds into the broader neighborhood, the autumn semester carries a heavy weight for international scholars. On Sunday, Oct. 18, 2026, DePaul junior Sam Abril spent the afternoon navigating the local streets, grappling with a high-stakes job market that looks very different for non-citizen students.

Commutes Stretch Out as Housing Options Shrink Near Campus

While DePaul University hosts international students to bring global perspectives to the community, as noted by Gretchen Frickx, senior director of International Student Success and Global Partnership Management, the structural hurdles are piling up. International students holding F-1 and J-1 nonimmigrant visas face intense pressure to secure employment in their fields if they want to stay in the United States after graduation. James Dorsett, DePaul’s director of International Student and Scholar Services, points out that while F-1 visas are common, J-1 visas are held by only a handful of students on campus.

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The job hunt itself is complicated by the high cost of H-1B visa sponsorships. Companies often hesitate to hire international graduates because sponsoring them involves thousands of dollars in legal fees and administrative overhead.

Housing near campus has become another pressure point. According to Student Government Association voices, many international students struggle to find appropriate housing close to DePaul, forcing them to rent further out in the suburbs. That disconnect extends daily commutes and isolates students from immediate campus support networks. Administrative roadblocks compound the stress; one student leader recounted running into an I-20 document ID number issue on a Friday evening when university offices were closed, leaving him stranded with U.S. Customs agents while institutional help was unavailable.

Student Government Association representatives, including chair of diversity and equity Parveen Mundi, are pushing new initiatives this quarter to address these recurring shortfalls in the international student experience. While students can access career tools like Goin’ Global and campus events like the Global Coffee Hour, the daily reality of navigating work restrictions and distant housing remains an uphill battle.