New Delhi:
US President Donald Trump’s administration has canceled Harvard UniversityThe right to enroll international students under the federal government scheme called Federal Students and Exchange Visiting Program (SEVP). SEVP allows institutions to nominate international students and issue necessary documents to apply for visas.
The decision announced by the US Homeland Security (DHS) on Thursday, directly risks the futures of about 6,800 international students in Harvard, including about 800 students from India.
According to Harvard’s record, 500 and 800 Indian students and scholars are admitted to various schools and departments every year. As the latest count, 788 Indian students are currently studying in Harvard, most in graduate level programs. With the action of the Trump administration, these students will now have to move to another SEVP-certified institution if they intend to live legally in the United States. Failure to do so can result in visa cancellation and potential exile.
Many Indian students are enrolled in long-term doctorates or multi-year graduate programs, and transferring the middle-coordination can be academically disruptive. With this latest step of Trump administration, students have limited time to detect options.
Reason for cancellation
In a letter issued by Homeland’s Security Secretary Christie NoM, the government cited Harvard’s failure to follow the US government requests for information about foreign students on the campus. In particular, the letter accused the university of not presenting visual documents related to disciplinary records and on-campus protests, some of which allegedly included Israel’s spirit and criticism of Hamas of Israel. NOEM also criticized Harvard’s diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies, called them “racist” and “hostile to Jewish students”.
“The administration is blaming Harvard for violence, promoting antisemiam and coordination with the Chinese Communist Party on its premises,” NoM wrote on X.
The administration is blaming Harvard for violence, promoting antisemiamism and coordination with the Chinese Communist Party in its premises.
It is a privilege, not an right, to nominate foreign students for universities and benefit from their high tuition payment … pic.twitter.com/12hjwd1j86
– Secretary Christie Name (@Sec_noem) May 22, 2025
The administration has given 72 hours to Harvard to produce requested documents and meet other demands if it expects to restore its SEVP status.
Is this legal?
Under the US law, the Department of Homeland Security has jurisdiction over student visa and oversees SEVP. By canceling Harvard’s SEVP certification, DHS is inevitably making the university unable to host foreign students.
While institutions have been removed from the SEVP list in the past, such tasks have usually been reserved for serious administrative laps such as loss of recognition, lack of qualified faculty, or closing the institution. Experts say the current action against Harvard is without an example.
