After Trump's Harvard ban, China invites students with offers
4 Min Read
Harvard faces legal and political turmoil after Trump revokes its ability to admit foreign students, but China responds with open offers.
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Students walk through Harvard Yard on the campus of Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. (AP)
The Trump administration has moved to block Harvard University from enrolling international students for the 2025–2026 academic year, igniting a legal and geopolitical dispute that threatens the academic futures of thousands of foreign students, particularly those from China.
The administration claimed the elite institution had coordinated with the Chinese Communist Party and allowed what it calls "antisemitism" to spread on campus, allegations Harvard denies.
Meanwhile, Trump vowed to deprive "antisemitic" Harvard of $3 billion worth of grants.
In a Truth Social post, the US president said, "I am considering taking Three Billion Dollars of Grant Money away from a very antisemitic Harvard, and giving it to TRADE SCHOOLS all across our land. What a great investment that would be for the USA, and so badly needed!!!"
6,800 international students at risk
According to university data, nearly 6,800 international students are currently enrolled at Harvard, with Chinese nationals comprising roughly 1,300, almost one-fifth of the total foreign cohort. Under the now-contested decision, these students would be forced to transfer or lose their legal status.
On Friday, federal judge Allison Burroughs issued a temporary restraining order against the Trump administration’s directive, calling it a “blatant violation of the Constitution.”
She said Harvard had demonstrated that the action would cause “immediate and irreparable injury” to the institution, and scheduled a hearing for May 29 to deliberate further.
China, Hong Kong extend open invitations
In a swift response to the US policy, Chinese authorities and academic institutions have begun offering alternative paths for affected students.
According to statements reviewed by local media, the Hong Kong Education Bureau has coordinated with local universities and the Harvard Club of Hong Kong to offer assistance and encourage international students to continue their studies in the city.
Hong Kong’s Secretary for Education, Christine Choi, announced that universities in the city would welcome "outstanding students from all over the world" and emphasized the government’s commitment to easing admissions procedures and visa regulations. “We’ll continue to keep a close eye on the needs of students whose studies have been affected by the shifting global education landscape,” the Education Bureau said in a statement.
[ HKUST Opens Doors to Harvard Students Amid Global Academic Shifts ]
— HKUST (@hkust) May 23, 2025
In light of global academic shifts, HKUST is extending an open invitation to international students currently enrolled at, or holding confirmed offers from, Harvard University to continue their academic… pic.twitter.com/N7bsLFuDjk
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology went a step further, offering what it called “unconditional offers, streamlined admission procedures, and academic support” to ease the transition for interested students.
Legal battle looms over student rights
The Trump administration's decision marks a dramatic escalation in its efforts to reshape the ideological landscape of US higher education. Beyond its move to bar international students from Harvard, the administration has threatened to cut off federal funding unless the university complies with several demands: dismantling diversity programs, producing a “viewpoint diversity” audit, and quashing pro-Palestinian demonstrations on campus.
On his Truth Social platform, Trump accused Harvard of harboring “foreign influence” and failing to be transparent about its international enrollment.
“Why isn’t Harvard saying that almost 31% of their students are from FOREIGN LANDS, and yet those countries, some not at all friendly to the United States, pay NOTHING toward their students’ education nor do they ever intend to,” he wrote. “Nobody told us that!”
These statements followed his call for the university to submit the names and national origins of all its international students, a request Harvard has refused.
Another federal judge had earlier blocked a broader federal move to strip foreign students of their legal status nationwide during an ongoing legal challenge, setting a precedent for the current dispute involving Harvard.
