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Travel ban means no USF for Myanmar student

WGCU | By Makiya Seminera/Fresh Take Florida,
Marc Garber
Published September 17, 2025 at 1:09 PM EDT
FILE - A United Airlines jet takes off while a Delta Airlines plane taxis at Logan International Airport, Monday, Nov. 21, 2022, in Boston. More than 55 million people are expected to travel at least 50 miles from home for Thanksgiving this year. And while misery loves company, there are some steps travelers can take to improve the experience. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa, File)
Charles Krupa
/
AP

For a student from Myanmar who was accepted to USF, Trump's travel ban means he can't come.

When an 18-year-old from Myanmar shared a screenshot of his acceptance letter to the University of South Florida in a family group chat, it exploded with celebratory emojis.

The student asked the AP to use his nickname, Gu Gu, because he is worried about being targeted by the Myanmar or the U.S. government for expressing criticism.

Gu Gu says his family made his education their top priority, saving paychecks and risking their own stability.

Waiting for visa appointments to be announced, Gu Gu got news of a U.S. travel ban. His plans to study at USF this fall were instantly ruined, and he was unable to defer his acceptance.

Gu Gu is just one of thousands of students whose plans to attend U.S. universities this fall are now halted by President Donald Trump's travel ban on 19 countries.

As a civil war rages in Myanmar, he now fears being drafted into the military. Many students his age have been drafted, or have joined resistance groups.
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Makiya Seminera/Fresh Take Florida
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Marc Garber
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