The Trump administration has closed the doors to overseas students at Harvard University. The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has revoked Harvard University’s certification to host overseas students, which is a major blow to one of the major Ivy League universities. This action comes after DHS terminated $2.7 million in DHS grants for Harvard last month.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem ordered DHS to terminate Harvard University’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) certification. The Department of Homeland Security has accused the university of failing to maintain a safe campus amid anti-American protests and alleged Jewish violence.
This means Harvard can no longer enroll foreign students, and existing foreign students must transfer or lose their legal status. What it also means that existing overseas students will not have to get enrolled in another SEVP certified university soon.
Harvard can no longer enroll foreign students, and existing foreign students must transfer or lose their legal status.
With the termination of SEVP certification, students on F-1 visa or J visa need to find another SEVP certified University to stay in US while no new international student can get F/J visa for 2025-26 in Harvard. In case, those students fail to enroll in other university, their visa could be revoked and could face deportation.
The Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) collects, maintains, analyzes, and provides information so that only legitimate foreign students or exchange visitors gain entry to the United States. Harvard’s access to SEVIS, crucial for tracking international students and maintaining visa status, has been revoked.
The US Department of Homeland Security’s decision to revoke SEVP certification directly threatens the future of nearly 6,800 international students at Harvard, including nearly 800 from India.
Most Indian students are in graduate or doctoral programs and will face academic disruption due to the Trump administration’s recent action, leaving little time for alternative options.
Noem has given Harvard 72 hours to comply with demands for student records, including disciplinary data and protest footage, to reinstate its SEVIS access. Harvard has been tasked by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to meet six rigorous conditions within 72 hours to resume enrolling foreign students.
The university has a chance to enroll foreign students if it submits certain records to the US authorities.
- Any and all records, whether official or informal, in the possession of Harvard University, including electronic records and audio or video footage, regarding illegal activity, whether on or off campus, by a non-immigrant student in the last five years.
- Any and all records in the possession of Harvard University, including electronic records and audio or video footage, regarding dangerous or violent activity, whether on or off campus, by a non-immigrant student in the last five years.
- Any and all records in the possession of Harvard University, including electronic records and audio or video footage, regarding threats to other students or university personnel, whether on or off campus, by a non-immigrant student in the last five years.
- Any and all records in the possession of Harvard University, including electronic records and audio or video footage, regarding deprivation of rights of other classmates or university personnel, whether on or off campus, by a non-immigrant student enrolled in the last five years.
- Any and all disciplinary records of all non-immigrant students enrolled in the last five years.
- Any and all audio or video footage in the possession of Harvard University of any protest activity involving a non-immigrant student on a Harvard University campus in the last five years.