Foreign Students Make Up 27% of Harvard's Enrollment

In a further escalation of the conflict between the Trump administration and Harvard University, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Thursday ordered the termination of the school’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program certification. This drastic step means that Harvard can no longer enroll foreign students and that existing international students must transfer to other universities if they don’t want to lose their legal status. “This administration is holding Harvard accountable for fostering violence, antisemitism, and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party on its campus,” Noem said in a statement. The revocation comes after an ultimatum set by Noem in April, when she had demanded that the school produce records of any “illegal or violent activities” by foreign students at Harvard.

Like it did with previous demands from the Trump administration, Harvard pushed back against what it considers illegal government overreach. “The government’s action is unlawful. We are fully committed to maintaining Harvard’s ability to host international students and scholars, who hail from more than 140 countries and enrich the University – and this nation – immeasurably," Harvard spokesperson Jason Newton said, calling Thursday’s announcement a “retaliatory action” that threatens to undermine the school’s academic mission.

During the 2024/2025 academic year, almost 7,000 international students from 147 countries were enrolled at Harvard, making up 27 percent of the school’s total enrollment. The top 5 countries of origin of foreign Harvard students are China, Canada, India, South Korea and the United Kingdom, roughly mirroring the composition of the international student body in the entire United States. The university takes pride in its global network of alumni, with nearly 20 percent of Harvard graduates living outside the U.S.