No longer attractive: Chinese students reflect on US study over Trump's Harvard move

Out of the blue, international students at Harvard University found themselves "Harvard refugees" after US President Donald Trump revoked the university's certification under the Student and Exchange Visitor Program on Thursday, barring it from enrolling international students.

"Let this serve as a warning to all universities and academic institutions across the country," US Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement. "Enrolling international students is a privilege – not a right – and that privilege has been revoked due to Harvard's repeated failure to comply with federal law."

The department added that "existing foreign students must transfer or lose their legal status."

The university says it has 9,970 people in its international academic population, and data shows 6,793 international students comprise 27.2 percent of its enrollment in the 2024-25 academic year. Chinese nationals made up a fifth of Harvard's foreign student intake in 2024.

In response, the oldest and wealthiest college in the US issued a statement calling the Trump administration's action "unlawful" and harmful.

"We are working quickly to provide guidance and support to members of our community. This retaliatory action threatens serious harm to the Harvard community and our country, and undermines Harvard's academic and research mission," the statement said.

On Friday morning, in a letter to the Harvard community, the university president Alan M. Garber said that Harvard has filed a complaint to block the revocation. He said the university will do everything to support its students and scholars.

"We will support you as we do our utmost to ensure that Harvard remains open to the world," he said in the letter.

It's not the first time the Trump administration has taken "retaliatory action" against Harvard. In April, it froze US$2.2 billion in federal grants after the university rejected government's demands that included eliminating diversity, equity and inclusion programs, providing information about international students' pro-Palestinian protests and addressing concerns about antisemitism on campus.

Harvard is among dozens of US universities facing harsh demands from the Trump administration, but it has emerged as the fiercest defender of its academic independence.

International students at Harvard turned to social media on Thursday, calling themselves "Harvard refugees."

"Woke up to find the sky falling," Chinese student Teresa said in a video on Xiaohongshu, or better known as RedNote.

"We've all received the notice that the Trump administration will revoke Harvard's right to admit and host international students, which means students who just received offers will not be able to get visas, while existing students on campus also face risks in visa validity," she said.

Summer vacation has begun for Harvard students and some who have left the US might face problems in returning, Teresa said. She was planning to travel to Kenya, India and Ukraine during the holiday but was now hesitant due to the uncertainties.

"The notice has aroused a huge uproar in the Harvard community, and every one is talking about it. Our teachers have sent us e-mails, telling us that the university is trying its best to find solutions and negotiating with the government. There is a 72-hour window period, but no one knows what the outcome will be."

Teresa said the solutions that might work include transferring to other US universities or returning home and working for several years until Trump's presidential term ends.

"I don't want to go to other universities. I can do one or two gap years if the revocation really takes effect, and return to finish my degree when Trump has left," she said.

But Teresa also said it was very likely that Harvard would challenge the revocation in court.

"Let's wait and see what will happen. Anyway, this move by the Trump administration is shocking the world and we are now part of the history."

Several Chinese students told Shanghai Daily that they were not surprised by Trump as he had been taking "crazy" actions, including launching the recent tariff war and previously suggesting injecting disinfectant during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"I think the new policy may not be able to take effect as Trump had revoked F1 visas for many students earlier, which was later blocked by the court. I think Harvard will definitely bring this case to the court. No hurry to make decision right now," Zhao Youning, a doctoral student at Ohio State University, said.

No longer friendly, no longer attractive

Zhao said the move would not affect her, but it reflected that the higher education environment in the US is not as friendly as before.

Zhao was a master's student at the University of Pennsylvania and had found it difficult to apply for doctoral programs at top US universities.

"Trump has cut budgets for universities, leading to reduced places in doctoral programs," she said. "Though I got two offers, they were not my first choice and the project fund was less than I had expected.

"I had talked with my teachers and they were optimistic that Trump will not be able to win another presidential term, which means the higher education ecosystem will improve. But frankly speaking, the United States is no longer as attractive as before when many international students wished to stay after graduation. Just like me, I would return to China after I finish my doctoral project."

Wade Zhao, another Chinese doctoral student at Auburn University, whose expertise is cybersecurity, said US policies have been lowering Chinese students' expectations toward the country's industries.

"Many students no longer expect to work in high-tech companies in the US. Instead, some are seeking positions in teaching or non-profit organizations, or return to China. In the US, we can not focus on study or research. We don't want to be anxious all the time due to possible changes in visa policies."

He said the US practices will cause talent exodus.

"The return of talent will lead to the narrowing of gap between China and the US in high-tech industries."

Shirley Wu, a study-abroad consultant, said she had noticed an obvious decline in applications for US universities from Chinese students due to the uncertain China-US relations and increased scrutiny of Chinese students by the US government, especially after Trump's tariff war.

"Top US universities are still appealing, especially Ivy League schools. Those who are impossible to get enrolled in those schools have turned their eyes to universities in Hong Kong and Singapore," she said.

The latest blue paper released in April by the Chinese Service Center for Scholarly Exchange shows that the US has become the fourth most popular study-abroad destination for Chinese students, following the UK, Singapore and Canada.

Statistics show that the number of Chinese international students in the US dropped to about 277,000 in 2024 from a high of around 370,000 in 2019.

The Trump administration's revocation of Harvard's international students enrollment was considered as damaging to the whole US higher education sector. As Noem said, it's "a warning to all universities and academic institutions across the country."

Massachusetts Institute of Technology resident Sally Kornbluth responded quickly with a letter to the MIT community: "Dear members of the MIT community, especially those who come to us from abroad, I write to you in profound disbelief. The action the federal government took today to bar Harvard from having international students is devastating for American excellence, openness and ingenuity. This is a grave moment. For now, to our international students, let me say: MIT would not be MIT without you."

At a regular press briefing on Friday, China's foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning pointed out that educational cooperation between China and the US was mutually beneficial, and China had always opposed the politicization of educational cooperation.

Noting that relevant practices of the US side will only damage the image and international credibility of itself, Mao said China will firmly safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese students and scholars overseas.

(Sun Chao also contributed to this story.)