Harvard talks to peer institutes as Trump blocks foreign student intake

Business Standard

3 hours ago

In an attempt to safeguard its foreign students, Harvard University is exploring temporary arrangements with academic institutions in the United States and abroad to host international students following a directive by President Donald Trump's administration barring the university from accepting foreign students, Financial Times reported.
Officials at the University of Chicago and London Business School are among those who have held discussions on accommodating incoming Harvard students.
The move comes in response to a recent federal order suspending the entry of foreign nationals intending to study or participate in exchange programmes at Harvard.
Why was the order issued?
The proclamation claims the measure is intended to prevent 'foreign adversaries' from exploiting the US higher education system. It accuses Harvard of a rise in on-campus crime, lack of disciplinary action, and failure to report foreign students allegedly involved in illegal or dangerous activity.
It also cites Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) concerns that foreign nationals have used US universities to steal research and spread disinformation.
A US district judge has temporarily suspended the order and posted the matter for further hearing on 16 June.
Impact on students and institutions
The administration has halted visa processing for all prospective international students across the US, citing enhanced background checks, including scrutiny of social media activity. Visas have also been revoked and students detained, particularly those allegedly involved in protests against Israel's actions in Gaza, according to the Financial Times.
The crackdown is likely to affect Harvard's finances, as many US universities rely heavily on international student tuition. More than 1.1 million foreign nationals currently study in the US, with the majority from China and India. The US Department of Commerce estimates their annual economic contribution at $45 billion.
NAFSA, a global network of international education professionals, described the administration's approach as 'an unacceptable assault on an already thorough screening and monitoring process' that creates 'a climate of uncertainty and fear.'
Amit Sevak, CEO of ETS—the organisation behind the TOEFL English language test—said demand was falling. 'With the fall semester around the corner, some international students may withdraw, delay, or apply elsewhere. The bigger implication will be in 2026,' he told the Financial Times.
Harvard mounts legal response
Harvard has challenged the order in court, claiming it is an act of illegal retaliation that violates the university's free speech rights.
'While the court considers our request, contingency plans are being developed to ensure that international students and scholars can continue to pursue their work at Harvard this summer and through the coming academic year,' said university president Alan Garber in a statement.
The lawsuit also argues that Trump's actions are 'part of a concerted and escalating campaign of retaliation by the government in clear retribution for Harvard's exercising its First Amendment rights to reject the government's demands to control Harvard's governance, curriculum, and the 'ideology' of its faculty and students.'
International students constitute approximately 27 per cent of Harvard's student body. The university has become a primary focus of the Trump administration's actions, though other institutions are also preparing for disruptions.
Not just Harvard
Suzanne Rivera, president of Macalester College in Minneapolis—where roughly 20 per cent of students are international—said the college had begun fundraising through alumni networks and was offering internships to support students who opted not to leave the US over summer break.
'Our concern right now is that these policy shifts may erect obstacles that would prevent students returning to campus or new ones from matriculating,' she said. 'The fear is widespread for the international students among us that if they go home they might encounter difficulties trying to re-enter even if they have a valid visa.'
Other universities—including New York University, Northeastern University, and Hult International Business School—are exploring options to relocate affected students to international campuses. Some operate branches in countries such as Qatar.
However, Martin Boehm, executive vice-president at Hult, said he had not encountered problems so far. 'I'm still super confident that everything runs smoothly,' he said.