Ministry urges Harvard hopefuls to check enrolment updates
PETALING JAYA: The Higher Education Ministry has advised students enrolling at Harvard University for the September intake to get in touch with the university and their respective sponsors for information on the latest developments before making further decisions.
At this time, the ministry reported that there are no issues related to the Student Exchange Visa Program or the cancellation of visas.
This follows the US State Department's directive to consulates globally to restart the processing of visa applications for international students accepted into Harvard.
The ministry noted that this development is a relief for the nearly 7,000 foreign students enrolled at the Ivy League institution.
The ministry is closely monitoring developments through its Education Malaysia Washington DC (EMWDC) office.
Currently, there are 54 Malaysian students at the university, of which 16 are scholarship holders and 38 are self-funded.
'This decision allows international students, including Malaysian students, to continue their studies without disruption to their visa status for now. The ministry and EMWDC office have contacted the relevant sponsors and US education authorities,' it said in a statement yesterday.
The ministry also expressed appreciation for the commitment of these parties to working together to provide updated information regarding the optional practical training programme and address immigration matters.
Malaysia believes that cross-border higher education is the best platform for talent development, knowledge exchange and strategic cooperation among nations.
It also urged all parties to remain calm and act based on true information.
On June 6, the US State Department instructed consulates worldwide to resume processing visa applications for international students admitted to Harvard University, reversing guidance issued a day earlier ordering such requests to be rejected.
The new directive rescinded one issued a day earlier, less than an hour before a judge blocked the Trump administration from restricting international students from entering the country to attend Harvard.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Express
28 minutes ago
- Daily Express
Trump travel ban in effect, citizens from 12 nations barred from US
Published on: Monday, June 09, 2025 Published on: Mon, Jun 09, 2025 By: AFP Text Size: The move is expected to disrupt refugee pathways and further restrict immigration as the Trump administration expands its crackdown on illegal entries. WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump's sweeping new travel ban came into effect early Monday immediately after midnight, barring citizens from a dozen nations from entering the United States and reviving a divisive measure from his first term. The move is expected to disrupt refugee pathways and further restrict immigration as the Trump administration expands its crackdown on illegal entries. Advertisement Many of the nations covered by the restrictions have adversarial relations with the United States, such as Iran and Afghanistan, while others face severe crises, like Haiti and Libya. In announcing his restrictions last week, Trump said the new measure was spurred by a recent 'terrorist attack' on Jews in Colorado. The group had been protesting in solidarity with hostages held in Gaza when they were assaulted by a man the White House said had overstayed his visa. That attack, Trump said, 'underscored the extreme dangers posed to our country by the entry of foreign nationals who are not properly vetted' or who overstay their visas. Advertisement The move bans all travel to the United States by nationals of Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Congo-Brazzaville, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen, according to the White House. Trump also imposed a partial ban on travelers from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela. Some temporary work visas from those countries will be allowed. New countries could be added, Trump warned, 'as threats emerge around the world.' Mehria, a 23-year-old woman from Afghanistan who applied for refugee status, said the new rules have trapped her and many other Afghans in uncertainty. 'We gave up thousands of hopes and our entire lives... on a promise from America, but today we are suffering one hell after another,' she told AFP. World Cup, Olympics, diplomats excluded The ban will not apply to athletes competing in the 2026 World Cup, which the United States is co-hosting with Canada and Mexico, or in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, Trump's order said. Nor will it apply to diplomats from the targeted countries. United Nations rights chief Volker Turk warned that 'the broad and sweeping nature of the new travel ban raises concerns from the perspective of international law.' US Democratic lawmakers and elected officials blasted the ban as draconian and unconstitutional. 'I know the pain that Trump's cruel and xenophobic travel bans inflict because my family has felt it firsthand,' congresswoman Yassamin Ansari, who is Iranian-American, posted Sunday on X. 'We will fight this ban with everything we have.' Rumors of a new travel ban had circulated following the Colorado attack, with Trump's administration vowing to pursue 'terrorists' living in the United States on visas. US officials said suspect Mohamed Sabry Soliman, an Egyptian national according to court documents, was in the country illegally having overstayed a tourist visa, but that he had applied for asylum in September 2022. Trump's new travel ban notably does not include Egypt. His proclamation said Taliban-ruled Afghanistan and war-torn Libya, Sudan, Somalia and Yemen lacked 'competent' central authorities for processing passports and vetting. Iran was included because it is a 'state sponsor of terrorism,' the order said. For the other countries, Trump's order cited an above-average likelihood that people would overstay their visas. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
The Sun
42 minutes ago
- The Sun
Trump travel ban in effect, citizens from 12 nations barred from US
WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump's sweeping new travel ban came into effect early Monday immediately after midnight, barring citizens from a dozen nations from entering the United States and reviving a divisive measure from his first term. The move is expected to disrupt refugee pathways and further restrict immigration as the Trump administration expands its crackdown on illegal entries. Many of the nations covered by the restrictions have adversarial relations with the United States, such as Iran and Afghanistan, while others face severe crises, like Haiti and Libya. In announcing his restrictions last week, Trump said the new measure was spurred by a recent 'terrorist attack' on Jews in Colorado. The group had been protesting in solidarity with hostages held in Gaza when they were assaulted by a man the White House said had overstayed his visa. That attack, Trump said, 'underscored the extreme dangers posed to our country by the entry of foreign nationals who are not properly vetted' or who overstay their visas. The move bans all travel to the United States by nationals of Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Congo-Brazzaville, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen, according to the White House. Trump also imposed a partial ban on travelers from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela. Some temporary work visas from those countries will be allowed. New countries could be added, Trump warned, 'as threats emerge around the world.' Mehria, a 23-year-old woman from Afghanistan who applied for refugee status, said the new rules have trapped her and many other Afghans in uncertainty. 'We gave up thousands of hopes and our entire lives... on a promise from America, but today we are suffering one hell after another,' she told AFP. World Cup, Olympics, diplomats excluded The ban will not apply to athletes competing in the 2026 World Cup, which the United States is co-hosting with Canada and Mexico, or in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, Trump's order said. Nor will it apply to diplomats from the targeted countries. United Nations rights chief Volker Turk warned that 'the broad and sweeping nature of the new travel ban raises concerns from the perspective of international law.' US Democratic lawmakers and elected officials blasted the ban as draconian and unconstitutional. 'I know the pain that Trump's cruel and xenophobic travel bans inflict because my family has felt it firsthand,' congresswoman Yassamin Ansari, who is Iranian-American, posted Sunday on X. 'We will fight this ban with everything we have.' Rumors of a new travel ban had circulated following the Colorado attack, with Trump's administration vowing to pursue 'terrorists' living in the United States on visas. US officials said suspect Mohamed Sabry Soliman, an Egyptian national according to court documents, was in the country illegally having overstayed a tourist visa, but that he had applied for asylum in September 2022. Trump's new travel ban notably does not include Egypt. His proclamation said Taliban-ruled Afghanistan and war-torn Libya, Sudan, Somalia and Yemen lacked 'competent' central authorities for processing passports and vetting. Iran was included because it is a 'state sponsor of terrorism,' the order said. For the other countries, Trump's order cited an above-average likelihood that people would overstay their visas.
The Sun
43 minutes ago
- The Sun
Trump's New Travel Ban Targets 20+ Nations, Cites Security
WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump's sweeping new travel ban came into effect early Monday immediately after midnight, barring citizens from a dozen nations from entering the United States and reviving a divisive measure from his first term. The move is expected to disrupt refugee pathways and further restrict immigration as the Trump administration expands its crackdown on illegal entries. Many of the nations covered by the restrictions have adversarial relations with the United States, such as Iran and Afghanistan, while others face severe crises, like Haiti and Libya. In announcing his restrictions last week, Trump said the new measure was spurred by a recent 'terrorist attack' on Jews in Colorado. The group had been protesting in solidarity with hostages held in Gaza when they were assaulted by a man the White House said had overstayed his visa. That attack, Trump said, 'underscored the extreme dangers posed to our country by the entry of foreign nationals who are not properly vetted' or who overstay their visas. The move bans all travel to the United States by nationals of Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Congo-Brazzaville, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen, according to the White House. Trump also imposed a partial ban on travelers from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela. Some temporary work visas from those countries will be allowed. New countries could be added, Trump warned, 'as threats emerge around the world.' Mehria, a 23-year-old woman from Afghanistan who applied for refugee status, said the new rules have trapped her and many other Afghans in uncertainty. 'We gave up thousands of hopes and our entire lives... on a promise from America, but today we are suffering one hell after another,' she told AFP. World Cup, Olympics, diplomats excluded The ban will not apply to athletes competing in the 2026 World Cup, which the United States is co-hosting with Canada and Mexico, or in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, Trump's order said. Nor will it apply to diplomats from the targeted countries. United Nations rights chief Volker Turk warned that 'the broad and sweeping nature of the new travel ban raises concerns from the perspective of international law.' US Democratic lawmakers and elected officials blasted the ban as draconian and unconstitutional. 'I know the pain that Trump's cruel and xenophobic travel bans inflict because my family has felt it firsthand,' congresswoman Yassamin Ansari, who is Iranian-American, posted Sunday on X. 'We will fight this ban with everything we have.' Rumors of a new travel ban had circulated following the Colorado attack, with Trump's administration vowing to pursue 'terrorists' living in the United States on visas. US officials said suspect Mohamed Sabry Soliman, an Egyptian national according to court documents, was in the country illegally having overstayed a tourist visa, but that he had applied for asylum in September 2022. Trump's new travel ban notably does not include Egypt. His proclamation said Taliban-ruled Afghanistan and war-torn Libya, Sudan, Somalia and Yemen lacked 'competent' central authorities for processing passports and vetting. Iran was included because it is a 'state sponsor of terrorism,' the order said. For the other countries, Trump's order cited an above-average likelihood that people would overstay their visas.
