What happened?
- Harvard’s international enrolment rose to 28% of its total student body in Fall 2025, the highest level since 2002.
- The university now has 6,749 international students, about 50 more than last year.
This growth happened despite repeated government attempts to restrict Harvard’s ability to enrol international students, especially students from China.
Key country trends
📈 China & South Korea (Increase)
- Chinese students increased by 4.5%, reaching nearly 1,500 students — the largest international group at Harvard.
- South Korean enrolments rose by nearly 9%.
Why?
- Experts say Chinese families are willing to tolerate visa uncertainty if the reward is a degree from a top institution like Harvard.
- Many Chinese students have already experienced past US–China tensions (e.g., trade war), so policy volatility doesn’t deter them as much.
India (Sharp Decline)
- Indian enrolments dropped by more than 30%, falling to 545 students.
- This is unexpected, because nationwide Indian student numbers in the US are generally rising and have surpassed China overall.
Graduate vs Undergraduate pattern
- The increase came mainly from graduate students, who make up most of Harvard’s international population.
- International undergraduates declined slightly.
This is the opposite of national trends, where:
- Graduate enrolments fell by 12%
- Undergraduate enrolments grew by 2%
Why Harvard is different
According to international education experts:
- Elite universities like Harvard are “insulated” from Trump’s policies
- Their global reputation, academic quality, and alumni networks are so strong that students are willing to:
- Accept tougher visa processes
- Risk sudden policy changes
- Face political hostility
In short: top-tier brand power outweighs visa uncertainty.
Political context
- Trump’s administration has:
- Revoked over 8,000 student visas
- Tried to ban Harvard from enrolling international students
- Accused Harvard of ties with the Chinese Communist Party
- Frozen billions in research funding (later ruled unlawful)
Harvard is currently fighting these actions in court.
Bigger picture
- Nationwide, new international enrolments in the US dropped by 17% in 2025.
- Harvard’s growth therefore goes against the national decline.
Experts say:
- Alternatives like the UK, Australia, Singapore, and Hong Kong can take some students
- But top-tier capacity is limited
- Many students refuse to downgrade academic quality just for visa security
🔹Harvard’s global prestige is strong enough to overcome political hostility
🔹Chinese students, in particular, continue to value elite US degrees highly
🔹Trump’s restrictive policies are hurting overall US enrolments—but not elite institutions like Harvard
This shows a growing divide between top-ranked universities and the rest of US higher education when it comes to attracting international students.
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