- The Trump administration banned Harvard from enrolling international students for 2025-26, citing alleged ties with the Chinese Communist Party, affecting around 1,300 Chinese students.
- China and Hong Kong universities, including HKUST, responded by offering unconditional admission and support to affected Harvard students.
- A federal judge blocked the U.S. ban, calling it unconstitutional and protecting Harvard from immediate harm.
In a bold move responding to the Trump administration’s controversial decision against Harvard University, China and universities in Hong Kong have stepped forward to offer 'unconditional offers' to international students impacted by the restriction. The U.S. administration last week revoked Harvard’s ability to enrol international students for the 2025–2026 academic year, citing alleged coordination with the Chinese Communist Party and failure to curb antisemitism.
The federal ruling affects around 1,300 Chinese students almost 20% of Harvard’s international student population. A federal judge, Allison Burroughs, temporarily blocked the enforcement of the ban on Friday, calling it a “blatant violation of the constitution” and scheduled a hearing for May 29. Burroughs noted that the action would cause 'immediate and irreparable injury' to Harvard.
China and Hong Kong have not remained passive. In a statement released by Hong Kong’s Education Bureau, Education Secretary Christine Choi announced that universities in the Chinese financial hub were encouraged to welcome 'outstanding students from all over the world' and provide support to those displaced by U.S. policy shifts. The bureau added it had contacted the Harvard Club of Hong Kong and offered assistance to affected students.
Choi highlighted that the government had eased regulations on the intake of foreign students to make local universities more accommodating. “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 statement noted.
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) was among the first institutions to respond, issuing an open invitation to affected Harvard students. The university offered unconditional admissions, streamlined application procedures, and academic support to ensure a smooth transition for those wishing to continue their education in Hong Kong.
Hong Kong, home to five universities ranked among the top 100 in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings, is positioning itself as an international education hub. However, the academic environment in the city has seen considerable changes, with schools and universities now required to incorporate national security and patriotic themes into their curriculum aligning more closely with mainland China’s policies.
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Meanwhile, President Donald Trump escalated his criticism of Harvard, demanding the names and countries of all international students enrolled at the university. “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”, Trump posted on his platform, Truth Social.
He further accused Harvard of hosting pro-Palestinian demonstrations and warned that the university’s federal funding would be at risk unless it complied with his demands, including the dissolution of such protests and a 'viewpoint diversity' audit.
Despite the political pressure, Harvard has received legal reprieve for now, with Judge Burroughs granting a temporary restraining order against the administration’s directive. However, with the international academic landscape rapidly shifting, Hong Kong and Chinese universities are actively leveraging the situation to attract global talent and reinforce their status as competitive education destinations.
