Overseas schools could be potential places where Harvard’s international students may end up matriculating. A legal decision at least temporarily prevented the removal of SEVP certification for Harvard. SEVP stands for the Student and Exchange Visitor Program. This decision was made in Boston on Friday, May 23, 2025. Revoking Harvard’s certification would impact the university’s international students.
Students may have to look for new universities to attend. They may even no longer have legal status to stay in the United States. Alan M. Garber ’76, Harvard’s current president, staunchly supports the university’s international students. International students at Yale University feel empathy for the international students at Harvard. Also, overseas schools such as universities in Hong Kong welcome international students.
Harvard University and International Students
The BBC states: “US District Judge Allison Burroughs issued a temporary restraining order.” The restraining order decision came on Friday, May 23, 2025, in Boston, MA. It stopped the implementation of a Thursday directive made by the Department of Homeland Security. This instruction from the Department of Homeland Security was directed toward Harvard University. BBC reports Harvard would have lost “access to the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP).”
A loss of SEVP certification could have caused chaos for thousands of international students. A Department of Homeland Security press release, cited by Yale Daily News, outlines potential results. Yale Daily News states the release indicates that international students may “lose their legal status.” The press release also lists the necessity to transfer schools as a possibility.
The current president of Harvard University is Alan M. Garber ’76. According to The Harvard Crimson, Garber has “vowed to defend the University’s international students.” The Crimson states that Harvard is committed “to its more than 7,000 international students.” These students, according to Garber, are vitally important to life and academics at Harvard. Garber has stressed: “Under no circumstances will we abandon our international students.”
International Students at Yale University
According to Yale Daily News, “International students… expressed ‘full solidarity’ with those affected at Harvard.” One such international student at Yale is Tiona Zeng ’28. Zeng is a United States permanent resident. She is also a citizen of China. Yale Daily News reports that Zeng is grappling with “the magnitude of this move.” Zeng is shocked by the turn of events at Harvard. However, she also does not count out a comparable attempted directive toward Yale.
Yale Daily News states that Zeng believes “Yale should consider a temporary transfer agreement.” This could potentially help international students from Harvard. They could have a new place to live and go to school. Zeng’s brother is a recent graduate of Harvard University. Yale Daily News reports Zeng “would have wanted Yale to accept him as a transfer.” Zeng writes supporting “hosting extra students in the dorm, increasing class sizes, or whatever else.”
Overseas Schools Offer Possible Choices
Trump’s administration may take steps to make staying at Harvard University difficult for international students. However, NBC News presents “plenty of foreign governments and universities happy to take them.” Overseas schools could potentially gain an influx of talented international students. NBC News states their “talents… have helped make the United States a global tech… leader.” There is still optimism about and enthusiasm for university studies at Harvard. These sentiments apply to university studies in the United States, in general. However, there are also options for transfer to overseas schools.
Students from around the world may find interesting new academic situations at overseas schools. To NBC News, Simon Marginson of Oxford states: “China will become significantly more attractive.” In addition, Marginson states: “Western Europe will… gain significantly.” Overseas schools in Hong Kong could be potentially attractive options. Hong Kong has prestigious universities, and overseas schools there are ready to welcome international students.
