The Trump administration has revoked Harvard University’s ability to enroll international students by stripping it of its Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) certification.
On Thursday, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said this decision stemmed from Harvard’s alleged refusal to provide behavioral records of student visa holders.
Kristi Noem, Secretary of Homeland Security, took to X to accuse the institution of fostering an unsafe environment, encouraging hostility towards Jewish students, supporting Hamas, and promoting what she termed as racially biased diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
“Let this serve as a warning to all universities and academic institutions across the country,” she wrote. “This administration is holding Harvard accountable for fostering violence, antisemitism, and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party on its campus.”
Noem further stated that it is a privilege—not a right—for universities to host foreign students and benefit financially from their higher tuition fees. “Harvard had plenty of opportunities to do the right thing. It refused,” she added. “They have lost their SEVP certification as a result.”
This policy could impact thousands of international students, including Nigerians currently studying at Harvard. Nigerians make up nearly a quarter of Black students at Harvard Business School and are represented across multiple disciplines.
According to Harvard’s One World programme, the university currently hosts approximately 6,793 international students—27.2% of its entire student population. The new directive could also affect admissions for the upcoming academic year.
This move is the latest in a series of aggressive actions by the Trump administration aimed at elite academic institutions, part of a broader push against race-conscious admissions and what the administration perceives as liberal academic bias.
In recent months, Harvard has come under mounting pressure for resisting changes to its admissions, curricula, and hiring practices. It has faced increased scrutiny from federal agencies, threats of funding cuts, and intensified political rhetoric. Just last month, the U.S. Department of Education froze $2.3 billion in federal funds allocated to the university.
The department also launched an investigation into Harvard and 51 other institutions, accusing them of promoting racial preferences and stereotypes in educational programs.
Under the new directive, Harvard will be prohibited from enrolling foreign students for the 2025–2026 academic year. Current international students must either transfer to another institution or risk losing their legal status in the U.S.
Homeland Security says this is a consequence of Harvard’s failure to comply with “simple reporting requirements.” Noem, in a formal letter to the university, wrote: “As a result of your brazen refusal to comply with multiple requests to provide the Department of Homeland Security pertinent information while perpetuating an unsafe campus environment that is hostile to Jewish students, promotes pro-Hamas rhetoric, and employs racist DEI policies, you have lost this privilege.”
She did, however, offer Harvard 72 hours to submit the requested information if it wishes to regain its SEVP certification for the next school year.
In a swift response, the Ivy League school issued a statement denouncing the allegations as retaliatory and dangerous.
“We are fully committed to maintaining Harvard’s ability to host our international students and scholars, who hail from more than 140 countries and enrich the University – and this nation – immeasurably,” the university said. “This retaliatory action threatens serious harm to the Harvard community and our country, and undermines Harvard’s academic and research mission.”
Last month, Harvard introduced a temporary policy allowing international students to hold offers from both Harvard and a foreign university as a contingency. Typically, students are required to commit solely to Harvard by May 1.
At least 12 Harvard students have already had their visas rescinded due to their participation in campus protests. PREMIUM TIMES also reported that approximately 600 international students across more than 90 U.S. colleges and universities have had their visas revoked or legal statuses terminated in recent months.
Earlier this week, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed to Congress that thousands of student visas had likely been revoked, with more potentially on the chopping block.
“We’re going to continue to revoke the visas of people who are here as guests and are disrupting our higher education facilities,” he said. “A visa is a privilege, not a right.”
