If President Donald Trump is determined to keep international students out of Harvard, there are numerous foreign governments and academic institutions ready to welcome them—along with the exceptional talent that has contributed significantly to making the U.S. a world leader in science and technology.
The future of international students at Harvard University, the nation’s oldest and most prestigious educational institution, is in limbo following the Trump administration’s announcement of a ban on new international enrollments starting in the 2025-26 academic year.
This decision came after Harvard declined to submit extensive data on its international student population. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem accused the university of “fostering violence, antisemitism, and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party on its campus.”
In response, Harvard filed a lawsuit calling the ban unlawful. A federal judge in Boston has temporarily halted the policy for two weeks. However, if the administration ultimately wins in court, incoming international students will be prohibited from enrolling at Harvard, while current international students may be forced to transfer to other institutions or risk losing their legal status in the country.
American universities, including Harvard, depend heavily on international students, not only for the higher tuition fees they typically pay but also for their contributions to fields crucial to national advancement, such as artificial intelligence. Many international students choose to remain in the U.S. post-graduation and have played central roles in key innovations in globally competitive sectors.
According to Simon Marginson, a professor of higher education at the University of Oxford, Trump’s move against Harvard represents a “terrible policy error” that could diminish the United States’ leading status in research and development—a position it has held since World War II. In an email to NBC News, Marginson noted that a drop in international students could disrupt the U.S. higher education “talent pipeline” and reduce financial income for American universities, ultimately benefitting foreign rivals. “China will become significantly more attractive than before to students and researchers from the Global South,” he stated. “Western Europe will also gain significantly.”
Even before this ban, international students in the U.S. were growing increasingly uneasy due to the Trump administration’s anti-immigration tone, significant budget cuts to education, and attempts to interfere with the internal governance of universities. The government has already revoked hundreds of student visas and detained others based on their involvement in pro-Palestinian activism or other causes.
At Harvard, international students make up over 25 percent of the 25,000-member student body. The impending restriction impacts students from more than 140 nations, including high-profile individuals such as the future queen of Belgium.
China remains the largest source of Harvard’s international students, constituting roughly 20 percent of its foreign student population. China was previously the top source of international students in the U.S. until India surpassed it last year. The overall number of Chinese students in the United States has already been declining, with about 277,000 enrolled during the 2023-24 academic year compared to more than 372,000 in 2019-20. This drop is attributed to the disruptions from the COVID-19 pandemic and increasing tensions between Washington and Beijing.
During Trump’s first term, the administration implemented the China Initiative, a national security effort that many criticized for racial profiling. As a result, numerous Chinese academics relocated their research activities back to universities in China.
In response to the ban affecting Harvard, Beijing has reaffirmed the importance of U.S.-China educational cooperation. Chinese officials insisted the collaboration is “mutually beneficial” and pledged to protect “the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese students and scholars overseas.” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning remarked, “China has consistently opposed the politicization of educational exchanges,” and warned that “such actions by the U.S. will only damage its own image and international credibility.”
Izzy Shen, a 23-year-old incoming student from Beijing who was accepted into Harvard’s Master in Design Engineering program, shared that her visa application was suddenly denied just hours after the ban was declared. “I didn’t expect it to be so fast,” said Shen, noting that her application had previously been marked as “approved.” Despite the setback, Shen said she remains “relatively optimistic” and expects the situation to become “clearer” after the upcoming injunction hearing.
Duo Yi, admitted to Harvard Kennedy School’s doctoral program in public policy, said she is now evaluating alternative plans due to the unpredictability surrounding her enrollment status. “Trump is simply too unpredictable,” she commented. “I have no way of knowing what direction his future policies will take.”
Meanwhile, international universities and governments are not waiting to offer alternatives. In Hong Kong, officials are encouraging universities to act swiftly to attract high-performing students who might be affected by the U.S. ban. The territory’s chief executive, John Lee, declared, “Hong Kong’s doors are wide open” to “any students who face discrimination and unfair treatment in the U.S.”
Hong Kong hosts four universities ranked in the top 100 globally by U.S. News & World Report, a list led by Harvard. However, analysts caution that academic freedom in the region has significantly diminished since the Chinese government imposed a national security law in 2020.
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology announced that it would welcome both current and incoming Harvard undergraduate and graduate students affected by the ban.
Across the Atlantic, Europe is also moving to capitalize on concerns about U.S. policies by launching a $570 million initiative titled “Choose Europe.” This program aims to attract scientists and scholars alarmed by funding instability and political interference under Trump’s leadership. In a speech at Sorbonne University in Paris, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen promoted the campaign, emphasizing “free and open research.” She added, “As threats rise across the world, Europe will not compromise on its principles. Europe must remain the home of academic and scientific freedom.”
Despite the uncertainty surrounding the future of international students at Harvard, Alex Zeng, an overseas education consultant based in Guangzhou, China, said that elite American universities continue to appeal strongly to Chinese families. “The rich still want to go to the U.S. for education,” Zeng explained.
With Harvard’s status under scrutiny and the Trump administration tightening immigration and education policies, the global landscape of higher education appears to be shifting. As other countries move to fill the gap, the United States risks not only losing its competitive edge but also the immense human capital that has historically fueled its academic and technological leadership.