International students at Harvard welcomed 'unconditionally' by universities in China

CHINA - On May 23, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology officially invited students who are studying or have received an invitation from Harvard University to study at the school, after the US stripped Harvard of its right to recruit international students.

According to The Straits Times , the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) said that this admission policy applies to both international students studying at Harvard and those who have received acceptance letters. The school stressed that this move demonstrates a strong commitment to building a diverse, world-classeducational environment.

HKUST's decision is seen as part of Hong Kong's (China) strategy to attract global talent, amid growing tensions between the Trump administration and US universities.

Christine Choi, the head of the Hong Kong Education Bureau, also posted on Facebook that the special administrative region government has called on universities here to “proactively accept” students affected by the US decision.

Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. Photo: HKUST Fanpage.

Previously, on May 22, US Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem announced a ban on Harvard recruiting international students, citing the school's "tolerance of violence...".

International Students at Harvard: Weighing Between Difficult Choices

Mark Kantrowitz, an expert on financial aid and scholarships for students in the US, commented that Harvard's international students are being pushed into a state of "legal limbo".

His advice to students who have received an offer or are currently enrolled: “Wait for official feedback from the school, don't act yet."

“Harvard will have to come up with specific guidance very quickly,” he told CNBC .

In response to concerns among the international student community, Harvard University also spoke out in an official statement on May 23, affirming that international students and scholars are “indispensable members” of the school community.

“We will do our utmost to ensure that Harvard continues to be an open institution to the world ,” Harvard University President Alan Garber wrote on the school's website.

A Harvard representative said the school has formally filed a lawsuit in court and will continue to request a temporary restraining order.

Expert Kantrowitz predicts that Harvard will have a chance to win the lawsuit, but does not rule out the possibility that the Trump administration can still win.

And if a student decides to transfer to another school in the US? There are risks, he says.

“I’ve heard some Harvard students are looking to transfer. But that might be jumping from one frying pan into another — other schools could be targeted soon,” he said.

Transferring isn’t easy either, as many colleges are already full for the upcoming school year. Still, more than 300 colleges in the U.S. are open to freshmen and transfers, according to the National Association of Colleges and Universities Admissions.

Students who need financial aid will have more difficulty transferring schools, as many schools adopt need-aware admissions policies for international students.

In the context of increasingly politicized US higher education, the willingness of HKUST and other Asian universities to welcome international students could be a turning point in the global competition for talent, according to some experts.

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/sinh-vien-quoc-te-o-harvard-duoc-dai-hoc-o-trung-quoc-chao-don-vo-dieu-kien-2404275.html