The United States government has revoked Harvard University’s certification to enrol foreign students, following the university’s alleged failure to comply with a records request from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
The immediate withdrawal of Harvard’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) certification marks a significant escalation in tensions between the Ivy League institution and federal authorities. The decision bars Harvard from admitting new international students and requires current foreign students to transfer to other institutions or risk losing their legal immigration status.
In a press statement, DHS confirmed the move, stating: “This means Harvard can no longer enrol foreign students, and existing foreign students must transfer or lose their legal status.” The development is expected to affect thousands of students, including many from Nigeria and other countries.
According to the Association of International Educators (NAFSA), international students contributed an estimated $43.8 billion to the U.S. economy during the 2023/24 academic year and supported nearly 380,000 jobs across the country.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem defended the decision, accusing Harvard of “fostering violence, antisemitism, and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party.” She emphasized that enrolling foreign students is a privilege, not a right, and stated that the university had repeatedly failed to comply with federal law.
“Harvard had plenty of opportunity to do the right thing. It refused. They have lost their SEVP certification as a result,” she wrote in a formal letter addressed to the institution. “The revocation means Harvard is prohibited from having any aliens on F- or J- nonimmigrant status for the 2025–2026 academic year.”
The letter also warned that other universities failing to cooperate with federal authorities could face similar consequences. “Consequences must follow to send a clear signal to Harvard and all universities that want to enjoy the privilege of enrolling foreign students, that the Trump Administration will enforce the law and root out the evils of anti-Americanism and antisemitism in society and campuses,” she added.
The DHS has given Harvard a 72-hour window to provide the requested documentation if it hopes to regain its SEVP certification before the next academic year.
Harvard, which currently hosts around 6,800 international students—approximately 27 percent of its total student body—has yet to issue an official response. The broader implications of this decision for international students and academic institutions across the United States remain uncertain.
