SA students at Harvard live in fear and uncertainty after Trump administration directive

The Trump administration announced last Thursday that it would revoke Harvard University’s ability to enrol international students — effectively severing the institution from thousands of non-American scholars, including dozens of the brightest minds from South Africa and the African continent.

While a judge immediately issued a temporary block on the administration’s attempt to bar foreign students, their future remains uncertain.

The ban on foreign students came as a result of a Department of Homeland Security directive revoking Harvard’s certification under the Student and Exchange Visitor Program, which authorises US institutions to admit international students. Without it, Harvard cannot enrol new international students or continue supporting the visas of many currently enrolled.

The directive also instructed “existing aliens” — as in, foreign students at Harvard — to “transfer to another university in order to maintain their non immigrant status”.

Harvard students wearing keffiyehs walk out of a commencement ceremony on 23 May 2024 in protest at the Israel-Hamas conflict. (Photo: Mark Stockwell / EPA-EFE)

South African students at Harvard reluctant to talk

Daily Maverick reached out to several South African students at Harvard this week, but amid a climate of fear and uncertainty, none wanted to speak about the situation on the record.

One said that it was their hope that the directive amounted to an empty intimidation tactic and would soon be resolved.

The move directly affects more than 6,800 international students at Harvard — nearly 28% of its student body. A number of these students are African, with South Africa and Nigeria among the most prominent contributors to Harvard’s African student population.

In 2022, South Africa had 40 students and 14 scholars registered at Harvard; Nigeria had 48 students and 35 scholars. The Harvard Undergraduate South African Society, founded as a cultural and political forum for South African students, currently has 21 members.

There were 56,780 students from sub-Saharan Africa enrolled in US higher education institutions in 2023, according to available figures. Harvard has long been a magnet for the continent’s top scholars and future leaders.

For Harvard — and other elite US universities — international students represent not just academic diversity but financial sustainability. Because they are ineligible for US federal financial aid, international students often pay full tuition and in so doing contribute disproportionately to institutional revenue.

Harvard tells students not to panic

Contacted for comment, the Harvard Center for African Studies’ Johannesburg office directed Daily Maverick to the frequently-asked questions on the Harvard International Office web page.

There, Harvard advises international students: “You do not need to leave the country or transfer to another university immediately.”

It notes that the matter would be before the court again on Thursday, 29 May.

For students planning to travel outside the US in the near future, the university advises: “As with any international travel, there are inherent risks, and you should make an informed decision based on the advantages of travel and your own risk tolerance. If you’re planning to travel outside the U.S., we encourage you to assess the particular risks of your individual circumstance, form contingency plans, and consider whether the possibility of a delayed return would affect your ability to resume on-campus research, work, or study.”

It also offers counselling services to deal with “the emotional strain that these events and the weight of uncertainty are placing on all of us”.

Trump has it in for Harvard

The attempt to ban Harvard’s international students comes amid escalating tensions between Harvard and the White House over its alleged liberal bias, DEI practices and Harvard’s refusal to crack down on students protesting against Israel in the manner that US President Donald Trump seemingly wishes.

The Homeland Security directive barring international students also cited Harvard’s alleged “coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party on campus”.

In April, Harvard President Alan M Garber refused demands from the Trump administration to revise the university’s admissions policies, curriculum and staffing practices. In response, the government froze more than $3-billion in federal grants and contracts. Harvard filed suit in federal court in Boston — but the political retribution has only intensified.

On Tuesday, the Trump administration announced what one official described to The New York Times as “a complete severance of the government’s longstanding business relationship with Harvard”, amounting to the cancellation of around $100-million in remaining federal contracts to do research for the government.

This week, Trump also suggested on his social media platform, Truth Social, that the $3-billion in originally withdrawn funding could be redirected to vocational training, stating:

“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.”



In addition to freezing grants, the federal government has requested access to video footage of student demonstrations and disciplinary records for Harvard’s international students — requests with wide-ranging implications for privacy and civil liberties.

Some international students already looking at Plan B

The uncertainty surrounding Harvard’s legal battles has already caused disruption, with reports that some international students are exploring backup arrangements or bracing for forced repatriation.

Other universities are pivoting to position themselves as alternatives to Harvard, to attract thousands of top foreign students who may now find themselves in sudden need of a new academic home.

One such institution is the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, which last week announced “unconditional offers, streamlined admission procedures, and academic support to facilitate a seamless transition for interested [Harvard] students”.

Graduates from the Harvard School of Education wave books as they are bestowed their degrees. (Photo: CJ Gunther / EPA-EFE)

China is likely to be the major beneficiary of the Trump administration’s move, since the largest proportion of Harvard’s international students are Chinese.

The administration’s broader assault on elite universities has drawn criticism both domestically and abroad. But the potential consequences are clearest for students who may suddenly find themselves stripped of visas, support systems and access to world-class education — not because of any academic failure, but because of a political vendetta.

For South Africans studying at Harvard, or those planning to apply, the message is chilling: your place at the table in Trump’s America can vanish with a stroke of a pen. DM