International students at Harvard face uncertain academic futures

Legal challenge

On Friday, Federal judge Allison Burroughs in Boston blocked the Trump administration from cutting off Harvard's enrollment of foreign students. In a lawsuit filed earlier the same day, Harvard said the government's action violates the US First Amendment and will have an "immediate and devastating effect for Harvard and more than 7,000 visa holders". Burroughs' decision puts the sanction against Harvard on hold, pending the lawsuit.

Jiang said he and many international students were relieved by the court's decision but remained "cautious".

"The administration might not abide by the court's decision. The situation is chaotic and the future is uncertain," he said, adding he doesn't know whether he will be able to attend Harvard campus this fall to complete his master's degree in public administration.

However, Jiang believes the US government is using this as a bargaining chip and doesn't intend to "totally cripple Harvard" or extend the decision to other universities.

Still, the situation is creating uncertainty, anxiety, panic and problems, he said.

Many international students believe it's too soon to determine their next steps amid the shifting legal landscape, according to The Harvard Crimson, a campus newspaper.

The White House instructed students to transfer to another university "or lose their legal status", but deadlines for transfer applications to most other universities have long passed. Suggestions for Harvard's "studying abroad" program or "remote learning" have been floated online. Most international students said they were waiting for official guidance from Harvard officials.

For some, the situation is potentially life-altering. One student posted on Reddit that he sacrificed a lot to get admitted to Harvard in the fall. He said he turned down an offer to work as a doctor in August, withdrew his medical license, and paid "thousands" including for the course deposit, housing deposit and airfare to the US.

"This is an absurd dystopian irl (in real life) nightmare," the poster wrote. "I truly cannot believe this is happening."