ST. JOHN'S, N.L. — A Newfoundland university says the response has been overwhelming after it waived application fees for students from the seven predominantly Muslim countries targeted by a temporary U.S. immigration ban.
A spokeswoman for Memorial University of Newfoundland says the school is getting double the number of inquiries it usually gets from students in the United States.
Noreen Golfman, the university's provost, says the school issued a statement Jan. 30, saying it was deeply concerned about a Jan. 27 executive order from U.S. President Donald Trump that prevented individuals from the seven countries from entering the U.S. for 90 days.
That order has been suspended by a U.S. court, but Golfman says the university has no plans to lift its offer, saying the gesture could mean a great deal to students spooked by Trump's decree.
The university's statement says the executive order has affected international studies, academic conference participation, and in some cases family relationships in Newfoundland and Labrador.
The seven affected nations include Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.
