Thousands of international students at Harvard University found themselves in limbo yesterday after the administration of United States President Donald Trump revoked the famous university's right to enroll students from abroad.
Harvard, which filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration yesterday over the decision, currently has nearly 7.000 international students, accounting for about 27 percent of its total enrollment.
Chinese students at Harvard canceled flights home yesterday and sought legal advice about staying in the US.
However, US federal judge Alison Boro, appointed by Democratic President Barack Obama, issued a temporary injunction yesterday blocking the Trump administration's decision, temporarily halting the process while the legal battle continues.
Trump's pressure on Harvard is part of the Republican president's broader campaign to force universities, law firms, media, courts and other institutions that value independence from partisan influence to align with his agenda.
The order, which alleges that the university collaborated with the Chinese Communist Party, among other accusations, will force current foreign students to transfer to other schools or lose their legal status, and could be extended to other colleges, Reuters reports.
Harvard called the government's move "illegal" and said it was "fully committed" to the education of foreign students, among whom Chinese nationals make up the largest group at the elite Ivy League university in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
“I think the Chinese community definitely feels more targeted compared to other groups,” said 24-year-old Zhang, who is pursuing a doctorate in physics.
"Some friends have advised me to try not to stay in my current accommodation if the situation gets worse, because they think it's possible that an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent could take me out of the apartment," said Zhang, who did not want to reveal his name for security reasons.
He says many among Harvard's Chinese students are concerned about the status of their visas and internship opportunities, although others believe the school is likely to win any legal dispute.
Reuters reports that the number of Chinese international students in the United States has fallen to about 277.000 in 2024 from a peak of about 370.000 in 2019, partly due to rising tensions between the world's two largest economies and increased US government surveillance of some Chinese students.
Chinese nationals made up a fifth of foreign students enrolled at Harvard in 2024, according to the university.
“Our professors sent us an email saying that the school is actively working on a response in the next 72 hours and aims to negotiate with the government,” said Teresa, a Chinese graduate student at Harvard’s Kennedy School.
Her post yesterday on the platform Xiaohongshu, similar to Instagram, was titled "Refugee from Harvard."
The US action will "only damage the image and international credibility of the US," China's foreign ministry said, vowing to "firmly defend the legitimate rights and interests" of its students abroad.
Several Chinese "princes," as the children of the ruling Communist Party elite are called, have attended Harvard over the past two decades, including President Xi Jinping's daughter, Xi Mingze.
However, in recent years, Xi's anti-corruption campaign has intensified scrutiny of party officials and their families' ties to the West, including assets stashed abroad and children attending prestigious American universities.
Zhang Kaiqi, a master's student in public health, had packed his luggage and souvenirs ready for a flight back to China yesterday. But after hearing the news, he promptly canceled the expensive flight, losing his internship at an American NGO in China.
"I was sad and irritated. At one point I thought it was fake news," said the 21-year-old.
The most concerned among Chinese students at Harvard are those who have summer jobs as research assistants, linked to their visa status, which is crucial for future applications for doctoral studies, he added.
Several Chinese "princes," as the children of the ruling Communist Party elite are called, have attended Harvard over the past two decades, including President Xi Jinping's daughter, Xi Mingze.
As others struggled to make sense of Thursday's order, two Chinese students said they had been added to WhatsApp groups where panicked foreign students were exchanging legal advice about their immigration status. One shared a transcript from one such group that shows a lawyer advising students not to leave the country or take domestic flights, and to wait for official announcements from the university.
Thursday's move was in response to Harvard's refusal to provide requested information on foreign student visa holders and could be reversed if the university relents, the Trump administration said.
Amid rising tensions between China and the US in recent years, Chinese families are increasingly sending their children to study at universities in countries where English is the official language, such as Australia and Singapore.
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology said yesterday that it would provide "unconditional offers, simplified admission procedures and academic support to facilitate a smooth transition" for affected students.
Pippa Ebel, an independent education consultant from the southern city of Guangzhou, said that while the order does not completely close the door to higher education in the US, it "probably represents the last push towards other destinations."
“It won’t be a complete turnaround, but it will exacerbate existing concerns among Chinese parents,” Ebel said.
A prospective master's student at Harvard, Zhao (23), is determined to continue her studies in the US, but is considering postponing her enrollment for a year or transferring to another location if the ban persists.
"This has really disrupted my life plans... I was originally planning to apply for a US visa in early June, and now I'm not sure what to do," she said, not wanting to reveal her name for privacy reasons.
Princess Elizabeth is also under attack
Princess Elisabeth, the future Queen of Belgium, has just completed her first year of studies at Harvard, but Trump's ban could jeopardize her continued education.
"Princess Elisabeth has just completed her first year. The impact of this decision will become clearer in the coming days and weeks. We are currently investigating the situation," said Lor Vandoorne, a spokeswoman for the Belgian royal court.
"At this point, we are analyzing the situation and will let things settle down. A lot can still happen in the coming days and weeks," added the palace's communications director, Zaviye Bert.
Elizabeta (23) is studying public policy at Harvard, as part of a two-year master's program that, according to the university's website, broadens students' horizons and hone their skills for "successful careers in public service."
The princess is the heir to the Belgian throne, the eldest of four children of King Philippe and Queen Mathilde. Before attending Harvard, she graduated with a degree in history and politics from the British University of Oxford.
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