Harvard develops plans to ensure education for international students amid visa restrictions

In the United States, Harvard University has taken proactive measures to secure the education of its international graduate students amid ongoing uncertainties regarding U.S. visa policies. This initiative comes in response to actions from the Trump administration that threatened the university's ability to enroll foreign students, particularly after demands for extensive records related to student visa holders were made. Affected students faced the possibility of being barred from re-entering the U.S. due to these visa challenges. In light of these developments, both Harvard and the University of Toronto collaborated to create a contingency plan that would allow select international students to continue their education in Canada through a visiting student program at the University of Toronto's Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy. This educational arrangement is designed to combine courses taught by faculty from both Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government and the University of Toronto's Munk School. The deans of both institutions indicated that the plan would be utilized depending on the demand from students unable to enter the U.S. over potential visa restrictions. As of the recent updates, a federal judge had intervened to block the Trump administration's efforts to curtail Harvard's visa program, affirming that the matter was still pending legal resolution as of early June 2025. Harvard's Kennedy School has a significant portion of its student body, nearly 59%, coming from international backgrounds. These students are pivotal to the school's mission, focusing on developing leadership in public policy and governance. Amidst the educational adjustments, Harvard has faced financial challenges largely stemming from proposed federal funding cuts due to the administration’s policies. These financial pressures have led to staff layoffs within the Kennedy School, with the dean acknowledging an unprecedented strain on resources. Additionally, the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health is also exploring expansion of online educational options, targeting skills development in public health for a demographic that also includes a substantial number of international students. These measures aim to ensure educational continuity and maintain the quality of education for all students despite the evolving landscape of federal regulations and funding for research, which have been jeopardized under the administration’s legislative changes. The situation continues to evolve, highlighting broader implications for international education in the context of U.S. policy changes.