International students panic as Harvard University is banned from recruiting international students

An Australian citizen working in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, said he had just received his student visa 2 days ago, to prepare for a master's program in public policy at Harvard. The program will begin next August. Before the latest developments, he said he was "deeply shocked".

"Getting a student visa is meaningless now, if things really go as the authorities say. I know I'm still lucky because I can continue to stay in Boston to work. But many of my Australian friends are traveling to Europe after finishing their final exams at Harvard. Now they don't know if they can return to the US," said the man, who asked not to be named.

He also said he would only speak to the Australian media on condition of anonymity, because he was concerned about possible trouble for himself.

In response to the new developments, Australian Ambassador to the US - Mr. Kevin Rudd - posted on his official social media account that the Australian Embassy is closely monitoring the situation and is ready to support affected Australian students.

"I understand this is causing concern for many Australian students studying at Harvard. The Australian Embassy in the United States is working with the US government to obtain information and provide timely advice to students," Mr. Rudd wrote.

Harvard University campus (Photo: AFR).

American-born Australian Professor Brian Schmidt - a 2011 Nobel Prize-winning physicist and former chancellor of the Australian National University (ANU) - called the move a "very worrying escalation of tensions".

Speaking to Australian media, Mr. Schmidt warned that this move would create a strong reaction in the highereducation community in the US as well as around the world.

Professor Brian Schmidt's wife is Australian economist Jenny Gordon. Both were PhD students at Harvard, and they met while studying at the school.

"The recent developments are truly worrying because they will seriously affect Harvard's position in the US and the world," Mr. Schmidt expressed his concern for the school where he and his wife studied for many years.

According to an announcement from the US Department of Homeland Security, the government has revoked Harvard University's international student recruitment authority. This means that international students are no longer allowed to study here.

International students studying at Harvard must quickly transfer to another school or lose their legal status in the United States.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/giao-duc/du-hoc-sinh-hoang-mang-vi-dai-hoc-harvard-bi-cam-tuyen-sinh-vien-quoc-te-20250523153317244.htm