Sector shock as Trump revokes Harvard’s ability to enrol international students

US homeland security secretary Kristi Noem has announced the revocation of Harvard’s student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) certification – which enables US institutions to enrol international students – due to its “failure to adhere to the law”. 

“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,” Noem wrote on X on May 22.  

“Let this serve as a warning to all universities and academic institutions across the country,” she said, accusing Harvard of fostering antisemitism and “coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party”.  

In a statement, Harvard called the move “unlawful”, with a legal challenge from the university seen as likely.  

Noem said that to regain its SEVP status, the university had 72 hours to hand over all disciplinary records of international students in the last five years relating to illegal activity and protest action on and off campus – the government’s most extensive reporting demand yet.  

In response, Harvard said: “We are fully committed to maintaining Harvard’s ability to host our international students and scholars, who hail from more than 140 countries and enrich the University – and this nation – immeasurably. 

“We are working quickly to provide guidance and support to members of our community. This retaliatory action threatens serious harm to the Harvard community and our country, and undermines Harvard’s academic and research mission,” said the university, though Harvard’s president, Alan Garber, is yet to issue a public response.  

Last year, Harvard hosted 6,793 international students, totalling over 27% of the entire student body, according to the university.  

The revocation not only prevents Harvard from enrolling any F-1 or J-1 students for the 2025/26 academic year but also mandates that current international students must transfer to another university to maintain their legal status in the US. 

Coming just one week before thousands of Harvard students were set to graduate, the announcement sparked widespread fear and uncertainty across the university campus. 

In Noem’s letter to Harvard, she said: “This action should not surprise you and is the unfortunate result of Harvard’s failure to comply with simple reporting requirements”.  

The row with Harvard has been one of the focal points of the administration’s sweeping attacks on higher education, which has seen investigations launched into dozens of universities and the termination of thousands of international students’ legal status.  

With an endowment totalling more than $53 billion – the largest of any academic institution in the world – Harvard was one of the only US institutions to push back against the administration after it was sent a list of demands from the White House in April. 

Among an extensive roster of requirements, the administration had called on Harvard to reform its admissions and hiring practices to help fight antisemitism on campus, to end DEI initiatives, and to hand over reports on international students to federal officials.  

The university’s refusal to comply with the demands lead to the administration freezing $2.2bn in funding to the university, threatening to revoke its tax-exempt status, and demanding on April 16 that it hand over international students’ records or lose its SEVP certification. 

Seemingly bowing to the latter demand, Harvard sent some international student information to the government on April 30, maintaining that it had provided the “information required by law” and that it took seriously its reporting obligations.  

At the time, it was not clear what information Harvard had supplied to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), with Noem now stating the response was “insufficient”.   

In its fight with Harvard specifically and higher education generally, the Trump administration is using international students as pawns

Bernhard Nickel, Harvard University

Yesterday’s letter hands Harvard another ultimatum, giving the university 72 hours to provide all disciplinary records of non-immigrant students in the last five years including involvement in illegal activity, the “deprivation of rights of other classmates” and protest activity, on or off campus.  

It warns that providing false or fraudulent information may subject the university to criminal charges.  

Sector leaders were quick to condemn the government’s most recent attack, with NAFSA CEO Fanta Aw calling Noem’s action “an unprecedented overreach” which is “in direct violation of existing government policies”. 

“International students are not bargaining chips– they are scholars, researchers, and contributors to our communities whose presence strengthens US higher education and society,” said Aw. 

While Harvard’s top leaders have remained quiet on the matter, there has been an outpouring of support from faculty deans and administrators, as reported by the Harvard Crimson. 

“In its fight with Harvard specifically and higher education generally, the Trump administration is using international students as pawns,” wrote philosophy department chair, Bernhard Nickel. 

“International students are essential members of our community. We welcome you.” 

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