Trump Administration Bans Foreign Students From Enrolling in Harvard

The Trump administration on Thursday, March 22, 2025, restricted Harvard University’s access to enroll foreign students. As per the administration, the reason behind this is the ongoing investigation by the department of Homeland Security into the university. The Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has sent a letter to Harvard University.

She criticised Harvard for allowing violence and antisemitism on campus and for having ties with the Chinese Communist Party, for which the university will be held accountable.

She shared a post on platform X, where she wrote, “This administration is holding Harvard accountable for fostering violence, antisemitism, and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party on its campus. It is a privilege, not a right, for universities to enroll foreign students and benefit from their higher tuition payments to help pad their multibillion-dollar endowments.”

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

It is a privilege, not a right, for universities to enroll foreign students and benefit from their higher tuition payments… pic.twitter.com/12hJWd1J86

— Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) May 22, 2025

In the letter, it was stated that if Harvard wants to get access to the student and Exchange Visitor Program certification before the start of the upcoming academic year, it should give the required information within 72 hours.

The existing students will have major impacts, as they will have to move to other schools or lose their legal status.

Harvard University responded by saying that the government’s decision could seriously damage the university. In a statement, Harvard called the action unlawful and said it is fully committed to keeping its ability to host international students and scholars.

US President Donald Trump, in April, had called Harvard a “joke” and stated that it should no longer get government research contracts after the university rejected outside political involvement. He also warned that Harvard could be banned from accepting international students if it did not follow certain requirements.

According to the university, about 6,800 foreign students were studying at Harvard in the 2024-2025 school year, which is around 27% of its total enrollment.

Every year, about 500 to 800 students and scholars from India study at Harvard, as per the university’s official website. Right now, there are 788 Indian students enrolled at Harvard University.