The Trump administration, in a decisive move on May 22, revoked Harvard University's authority to enrol international students with immediate effect. The action penalises the prestigious institution for its refusal to comply with federal policy directives.
In a note, the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) stated, “Effective immediately, Harvard University's Student and Exchange Visitor Program certification is revoked.”
The statement added, “All universities must comply with 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 (Harvard University's) 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 department also confirmed that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem had ordered the termination of Harvard's certification under the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP). The SEVP authorisation permits designated educational institutions to admit international students and issue them documents necessary for visa applications.
The latest crackdown on the university by the Trump administration places the academic futures of nearly 6,800 international students at Harvard in jeopardy, including approximately 800 from India.
Faculty members have voiced alarm over the potential consequences of this mass displacement. As reported by CNN, many professors believe the exodus of foreign students could significantly impair the intellectual vitality of the university.
Harvard, which has a large international academic community, may see substantial disruptions. The university's own data, as cited by CNN, shows that international students represent 27.2% of its 2024-25 student body, with 6,793 international students currently enrolled. Of these, 788 are from India — many of whom are enrolled in advanced graduate or doctoral programmes.
Many Indian students are engaged in long-term academic pursuits, and the forced transfers could have a deeply disruptive effect on their studies. With little time to make alternate arrangements, the uncertainty is causing widespread concern among the student body.
Why Harvard Was Targeted
The move follows Harvard's refusal to comply with a federal request to provide disciplinary records and audiovisual material linked to campus protests.
“This administration is holding Harvard accountable for fostering violence and antisemitism and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party on its campus,” Noem wrote on X.
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/12hJWd1J86White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson echoed these sentiments in a statement to CNN, saying, “They have repeatedly failed to take action to address the widespread problems negatively impacting American students, and now they must face the consequences of their actions.”
The DHS has given Harvard a 72-hour deadline to hand over the requested documents and comply with additional demands if it wishes to restore its SEVP status.
Impact On Current And Incoming Students
According to the Harvard University note, the revocation of its Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) certification will bar the institution from hosting any international students on F- or J-1 non-immigrant visas for the 2025–2026 academic year. The decertification also compels current foreign students to transfer to another SEVP-certified institution in order to retain their visa status.
Legal Standing
Under American law, the Department of Homeland Security has authority over student visa administration and oversees the SEVP framework. Although institutions have been removed from the SEVP list in the past, such actions usually result from procedural failings such as loss of accreditation, insufficient faculty or institutional shutdowns.
As the clock ticks on Harvard's compliance deadline, thousands of students, including those from India, are left in academic limbo, uncertain about their educational and immigration futures in the United States.
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