Cancel that study abroad trip. Le Cordon Bleu culinary school, which has a branch in Pasadena as well as 15 other campuses across the United States, recently became unable to accept international students to its certificate program.

Mark Spencer, a spokesman for Le Cordon Bleu's parent company, Career Education Corporation (CEC) told us in an email, “Some recent changes we've made to our academic programs have impacted the U.S. visa requirements for international students interested in our new certificate programs. The visa requirements for our associate's degree program, offered at the Pasadena campus of Le Cordon Bleu, remain unchanged.”

In other words, foreign students are still eligible to enroll in the associates degree program, but those who sought a certificate only will have to look elsewhere. Spencer says Le Cordon Bleu is working with the affected students to assist them in making alternate arrangements for study at other schools.

Depending on what country a student is from, it may simply mean staying local. Le Cordon Bleu originated in Paris in 1895, and now has 11 locations abroad including campuses in the UK, Asia, Australia, Canada, Mexico and Peru. Per Spencer, the United States campuses “are owned separately by Career Education Corporation, but collaborate with Le Cordon Bleu International on academics to assure the quality of curriculum meets Le Cordon Bleu standards.”

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