Trump Revokes Harvard University's Eligibility To Enrol International Students; Asks Foreign Students To Transfer

In an unprecedented development, the Trump administration revoked Harvard University’s eligibility to enrol international students, telling existing foreign students to transfer or lose their legal status, a move that can impact several students from India.

This action comes after the Department of Homeland Security terminated USD 2.7 million in DHS grants for Harvard last month.

Department of Homeland Security said that its Secretary Kristi Noem is following through on her promise to protect students and prohibit terrorist sympathisers from receiving benefits from the US government.

Also Read | Trump Admin Cuts $450 Million More In Harvard Funding, Says ‘Dark Problem’ On Campus

Department of Homeland Security Ordered To Revoke Harvard's Eligibility

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem ordered the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to terminate the Harvard University’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) certification.

“This means Harvard can no longer enrol foreign students and existing foreign students must transfer or lose their legal status,” the DHS said in a statement.

Noem said in a letter to Harvard University that “I am writing to inform you that effective immediately, Harvard University’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program certification is revoked”.

Noem said in the letter that the revocation of Harvard’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program certification means that Harvard is prohibited from having any aliens on F or J non-immigrant status for the 2025-26 academic school year.

“This decertification also means that existing aliens on F or J non-immigrant status must transfer to another university in order to maintain the non-immigrant status,” she said.

F-1 visas are for students attending a US educational institution while J visas are for exchange visitors, including students, scholars, researchers.

Noem added that “as explained to you in my April letter, it is a privilege to enrol foreign students and it is also a privilege to employ aliens on campus".

“All universities must comply with the Department of Homeland Security requirements, including reporting requirements under the Student and Exchange Visitor Program regulations to maintain this privilege.

“As a result of your refusal to comply with multiple requests to provide the Department of Homeland Security pertinent information while perpetuating an unsafe campus environment that is hostile to Jewish students, promotes pro-Hamas sympathies and employs racist ‘Diversity, Equity and Inclusion’ policies, you have lost this privilege.”

The DHS said that Harvard’s leadership has created an “unsafe campus environment by permitting anti-American, pro-terrorist agitators to harass and physically assault individuals, including many Jewish students, and otherwise obstruct its once-venerable learning environment”.

“Many of these agitators are foreign students. Harvard’s leadership further facilitated, and engaged in coordinated activity with the CCP, including hosting and training members of a CCP paramilitary group complicit in the Uyghur genocide,” the agency said.

“This administration is holding Harvard accountable for fostering violence, antisemitism, and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party on its campus,” said Secretary Noem.

“It is a privilege, not a right, for universities to enrol foreign students and benefit from their higher tuition payments to help pad their multibillion-dollar endowments. Harvard had plenty of opportunity to do the right thing. It refused. They have lost their Student and Exchange Visitor Program certification as a result of their failure to adhere to the law. Let this serve as a warning to all universities and academic institutions across the country.”

Also Read | Harvard - Trump Row: University Sues Trump Administration For Freezing Funds

On April 16, Noem demanded Harvard provide information about the criminality and misconduct of foreign students on its campus. Secretary Noem warned refusal to comply with this lawful order would result in SEVP termination.

Harvard University “brazenly” refused to provide the required information requested and ignored a follow up request from the Department’s Office of General Council.

, the agency said.

What Are The Statistics Saying?

Currently, Harvard hosts a total of about 10,158 students and scholars from around the world across its schools.

The development could impact students from India who are studying at Harvard University.

According to statistics on the website of Harvard International Office, there are 788 students and scholars from India at all schools under Harvard University for the 2024-25 academic year.

The Harvard Global Support Services said on its website that each year, anywhere from 500-800 Indian students and scholars study at Harvard.

Harvard said that the University is aware of the US Department of Homeland Security order to terminate Harvard’s Student and Exchange Visitor Programme (SEVP) certification for the 2025-26 academic year.

“Harvard is committed to maintaining our ability to host our international students and scholars, who hail from more than 140 countries and enrich the University and this nation,” it said.

The announcement comes just days before thousands of foreign students are set to graduate at Harvard. The new academic session will begin in the fall.