The Trump administration on Thursday barred Harvard University from accepting foreign students, stating that thousands of current students would have to transfer to other universities or leave the United States, in an increasingly escalating dispute with the Ivy League school.
According to educational consultant Chuck Ambrose, a former president of the University of Central Missouri, foreign students effectively support other students who receive subsidy because they are more likely to pay full tuition fee.
Harvard University received a major blow due to the Trump administration’s decision to bar international enrollment. Robert Kelchen, a professor who studies university finances at the University of Tennessee remarked that it sends a clear message to other universities, “You could be next.”
Kristi Noem, US President Donald Trump’s homeland security adviser made an appearance on Fox News’ “The Story with Martha MacCallum” asked on Thursday. She was questioned whether the administration at other universities, such as Columbia University in New York, was thinking about taking similar actions. “Yes, we certainly are. This should be a warning to every other university to get your act together,” she added.
Approximately 27% of Harvard’s overall enrollment consists of 6,800 international students. According to data from the National Center for Education Statistics, 43 additional schools with 1,000 or more pupils had an even higher percentage of international students in 2023.
According to the NCES data, 39% of all students at Columbia University, which the Trump administration accuses of antisemitic policies, were international students in 2023. At least 10% of students in 246 additional schools with 1,000 or more students were foreigners.
As universities are already rushing to make up for significant federal cuts in research funding, Thursday’s announcement came as a shocker. In recent weeks, nearly $3 billion in federal contracts and research funds have been frozen or terminated at Harvard, which the Trump administration claims has not addressed antisemitism and ethnic harassment on campus. Columbia and Harvard did not comment on the move’s financial effects.
Kelchen remarked, “It’s just another financial hit on top of several hits that have already come for big research universities.” He added that the only thing that has not been touched at present is the “financial aid” for students.