A 21-year-old University of Michigan student is stranded in Singapore due to Trump’s travel ban after studying abroad.

Patrick Thaw’s reunion with his University of Michigan friends after sophomore year was tinged with sadness. They were beginning a new term on campus in Ann Arbor, while he joined via FaceTime from Singapore, stuck halfway across the globe.

In June, he was in the midst of renewing his U.S. student visa when his life was upended by a travel ban from President Donald Trump targeting individuals from 12 nations, among them Thaw’s home country of Myanmar.

Reflecting on his choice to leave Michigan for a summer internship in Singapore, he stated, “Had I known things would turn out this poorly, I never would have departed the United States.”

This prohibition was part of a series of measures from the Trump administration that intensified difficulties for international students, involving halted visa services and other policies that led to a decline. While new students sought alternatives elsewhere, the barriers proved especially disruptive for those like Thaw who were already deep into their American university programs.

According to Sarah Spreitzer of the American Council on Education, institutions have been forced to devise more adaptable approaches, such as reinstating remote learning options from the pandemic or providing entry to affiliated overseas campuses.

For Thaw, a university official suggested a study abroad program. With the ban active, an opportunity in Australia appeared workable—at first.

Meanwhile, in Singapore, Thaw had little to do but wait. He formed new friendships, but they were occupied with studies or work. Once his internship concluded, he passed the hours checking emails, taking walks, and dining out.

“In my mind, I’m back in Ann Arbor,” the 21-year-old expressed. “Physically, however, I’m stuck in Singapore.”

He was at Michigan ‘to think and take risks’

Upon starting at the University of Michigan in 2023, Thaw immersed himself in college life. He quickly bonded with his dorm roommate’s circle of friends, who had attended high school together roughly an hour away. As a neuroscience student, he also became a member of a biology fraternity and a research laboratory focused on Alzheimer’s disease.

His inquisitive nature led him to sample diverse coursework, including a class on Jewish studies. Professor Cara Rock-Singer mentioned that Thaw attributed his interest to reading author Philip Roth.

“I strive to create an environment where everyone feels both at ease and motivated to participate,” Rock-Singer remarked. “Patrick required no encouragement. He was consistently ready to think critically and embrace challenges.”

Securing a clinical research internship at a medical school in Singapore felt like a natural progression in his achievements.

He was aware of rumors about potential travel limits but gave them little consideration—a topic he recalled joking about with friends before his departure.

Then the ban was declared.

The US offered an escape and a top education

Thaw’s aspiration to study in the United States, cultivated over years, was disrupted—at least temporarily—by a single overseas journey. Marooned in Singapore, he suffered sleepless nights preoccupied with a single thought: “Why did you even come here?”

From a young age, Thaw aimed for an American university education. That goal grew more pressing as chances for advanced schooling diminished following a military takeover in Myanmar.

At one point, conflict was so severe that Thaw and his mother took turns on watch, ensuring Molotov cocktails didn’t ignite the bamboo in their yard. He recounted being delayed for an algebra test once when a bomb detonated outside his home.

Thus, when he gained admission to the University of Michigan after applying to colleges relentlessly, Thaw was overjoyed.

“The instant I touched down in the United States, I thought, this is it,” Thaw said. “This is where my new life starts.”

Friend Allison Voto noted that Thaw’s discussions about Myanmar often sparked profound talks. He was among the first individuals she encountered with a vastly different upbringing from her own, which she said made her “more understanding of the world.”

In the 2024-25 academic year, the U.S. was host to almost 1.2 million international students. By summer 2024, over 1,400 Burmese citizens held American student visas, positioning Myanmar as one of the most affected nations under the travel ban.

A last-ditch effort to stay enrolled

A University of Michigan representative stated the institution acknowledges the difficulties confronting certain international students and is dedicated to furnishing all possible support and alternatives. The university would not discuss Thaw’s case specifically.

Although the Australian study abroad plan offered a glimmer of hope for Thaw to remain a Michigan student, doubts about the ban and visa issues finally persuaded him to reject it.

He had departed Myanmar to pursue an education, and it was time to complete that journey, which required making a change.

“I can’t simply wait for the travel ban to be revoked so I can return, because that could take forever,” he explained.

He began submitting applications to other universities, receiving offers from schools in Australia and Canada. He is hopeful about attending the University of Toronto, which would place his Ann Arbor friends just a four-hour drive away.

“If he ends up anywhere close to me, essentially in North America, I will visit him,” said Voto, whose recent communication with Thaw involves lengthy pauses between texts. “He’s Patrick, you know? That makes it completely worthwhile.”

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