In an escalation of tensions between the Trump administration and Harvard University, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has revoked Harvard’s ability to enrol international students, impacting nearly 788 Indian students currently enrolled out of a total of 6,800. The move could force these students to transfer or risk losing their legal status in the United States.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem accused Harvard of failing to comply with federal requests for student records and claimed the university fostered an “unsafe campus environment hostile to Jewish students” while supporting pro-Hamas sympathies. Noem’s letter also criticized Harvard’s diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies as “racist.”
The action comes as part of a broader campaign by the Trump administration to clamp down on elite institutions seen as resistant to federal directives regarding campus protests and DEI policies. The decision will go into effect from the 2025–2026 academic year.
Here are key questions Indian students are asking
1. What happens to current Indian students at Harvard?
Students who have completed their degrees in the current academic year will be allowed to graduate. However, those who have not completed their studies must transfer to another U.S. university to maintain legal residency.
2. What about Indian students admitted for the upcoming semester?
For now, new admits will not be allowed to begin their studies at Harvard unless the university complies with the government’s demands within 72 hours or a court intervenes. The government has demanded access to disciplinary records and recordings of protest activity involving international students.
3. What options do Indian students have and will they face visa revocation?
Students may transfer to other U.S. institutions that retain their international student privileges. Harvard has indicated it will support affected students in finding transfer options and legal remedies. Those who fail to transfer in time or whose status lapses may lose their student visa eligibility, leading to possible deportation. Immediate legal consultation is advised for those affected
Harvard has described the federal action as unlawful and detrimental to its academic and research mission. The university has filed a legal challenge, seeking to overturn the administration’s decision and unfreeze halted federal research grants.
As the situation unfolds, uncertainty looms large for hundreds of Indian students who now face a critical decision: stay and fight, or leave the dream of a Harvard education behind.