How Trump’s ban on international admissions at Harvard impact students?

The tensions between US President Donald Trump and Harvard University continue to grow.

All of a sudden, the Trump administration has revoked the university’s authority to admit international students, casting doubt over the future of thousands of foreign students, including hundreds from India.

US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem, while announcing the decision on Harvard’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), emphasized that admitting international students is a privilege for universities, not a guaranteed right. She further stated that institutions “benefit from their higher tuition payments to help pad their multibillion-dollar endowments”.

Also read: Harvard vs. Trump: Top university loses access to billions in research funds

The Trump administration’s move has ignited debate over the future of international students, including those from India. Questions arise about whether they will lose their legal status or if transferring to another institution could resolve their situation. Let’s take a closer look at the current scenario.

What lies ahead for international?

According to Harvard University’s website, between 500 and 800 Indian students and scholars enroll each year. Currently, 788 students from India are enrolled at the university. In total, Harvard has nearly 6,800 international students—making up 27% of the student body, representing over 140 countries, with the majority enrolled in graduate programs.

The government told Harvard’s thousands of current foreign students that they must transfer to other schools or they will lose their legal permission to be in the U.S.

Students set to graduate this semester, including the class of 2025 finishing on May 26, will be allowed to complete their degrees. However, Noem’s letter states that the revocation will impact students enrolling from the 2025-26 academic year onwards.

Transferring from a university of Harvard’s caliber can lead to logistical and academic challenges for students.

Also read: Pakistani students from Harvard, other top US universities hit by sudden visa cancellations

Students must quickly find new schools, obtain updated I-20 forms, and revise their visa records. Normally allowed to stay over summer, even returning students now risk losing legal status. Without timely transfers or alternate visas, many could face immediate deportation.

Can Harvard regain its authorisation?  

Harvard could regain its authorisation to enroll international students if it meets a set of conditions within 72 hours stated Secretary Noem.

Harvard will not be able to enroll international students this fall unless the government reverses its decision or a court intervenes.

The conditions to regain the status include submitting various records, such as disciplinary files for international students and audio and video footage of protest activities.

Harvard had earlier refused to share these records. On Thursday, the university announced it is working to offer guidance to the students affected by this decision.

Can the government regulate private universities?

The US government has control over who enters the country, with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) overseeing which colleges participate in the Student Exchange and Visitor Program.

The SEVP program allows schools to issue documentation for foreign students to apply for U.S. study visas. Colleges are typically removed for administrative reasons, such as losing accreditation, lacking proper facilities, or failing to operate as legitimate institutions. Some are removed when they close.

Sarah Spreitzer, vice president of government relations at the American Council on Education, said, “I’ve never seen it revoked for any reason besides the administrative issues listed in the statute. This is unprecedented.”

Harvard has strongly denounced the Trump administration’s new directive revoking its ability to admit international students, calling the move “unlawful” and warning of its harmful consequences for both the university and the country.