Australian Ambassador to the US Kevin Rudd said he is working with the US government and closely monitoring developments on the future enrolment of international students after the Trump administration blocked Harvard University from enrolling international students.
US President Donald Trump’s administration revoked Harvard University’s ability to enrol international students on Thursday, and is forcing existing students to transfer to other schools or lose their legal status. About 120 Australian students study at the university, according to an estimate on the Harvard International Office website.
Rudd, who has served as the 23rd ambassador of Australia to the US since 2023, posted on X on Friday AEST:
“I know this will be distressing for Harvard’s many Australian students. The embassy is working with the United States government to obtain the details of this decision so that Australian students can receive appropriate advice.”
“ We also intend to engage the administration more broadly on the impact of this decision for Australian students and their families, both at Harvard and at other campuses across the United States.”
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The clampdown on foreign students marks a significant escalation of the Trump administration’s campaign against the elite Ivy League university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, which has emerged as one of Trump’s most prominent institutional targets.
During the election campaign, Trump promised to combat antisemitism on campuses, to take on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs, and to rid campuses of foreign students he considers hostile to American values. After several other prominent schools signalled their willingness to comply with Trump’s demands, Harvard stood firm against the pressure.
The international student crackdown comes after Harvard refused to provide information that Kristi Noem, secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, had previously demanded about some foreign student visa holders who attend the university, the department said.
Reuters
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