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Ivy League Scholarship claims ‘social media vetting’ behind rejection
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Columbia University student with $100,000 scholarship alleges social media scrutiny led to US visa denial despite academic credentials
An Indian student admitted to Columbia University’s Master’s programme in Data Journalism, Kaushik Raj, was denied a US visa despite receiving a $100,000 scholarship, raising questions about the role of social media vetting in visa decisions, reported gujaratsamachar.com.
Raj, a freelance journalist, said his visa was refused even though he had limited social media activity and had never posted opinions on global issues, though he did share his reporting on hate crimes and India’s treatment of minorities.
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The student recounted delays in securing a visa interview due to a temporary suspension of student visa issuance. After finally obtaining a slot in late July 2025, Raj was asked to make his social media accounts public
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On August 4, his visa was initially refused, briefly changed to administrative processing on August 11, and returned to a refusal on August 14
The official reason cited in the rejection letter was that Raj had not sufficiently demonstrated strong ties to his home country that would compel his return after studying in the US.
Raj believes the scrutiny of his social media activity, rather than his academic or financial credentials, played a decisive role in the visa refusal, highlighting growing concerns among international students about digital vetting in US immigration procedures.
