Harvard is prohibited from accepting international students by the Trump administration.

The conflict over the autonomy of the Ivy League university in the face of the Trump administration's policy demands escalated sharply on Thursday when the administration banned Harvard University from accepting international students.

According to a statement by the US Department of Homeland Security, "Harvard can no longer enroll international students and existing foreign students must transfer or lose their legal status."

In keeping with her pledge last month to require the university to turn over comprehensive records of its foreign students' "illegal and violent activities" by April 30 or risk losing its certification, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem directed her department to revoke Harvard's Student and Exchange Visitor Program certification.

It might affect a sizable section of Harvard's student body. Data indicates that 6,793 international students made up 27.2% of the university's enrollment in the 2024–25 academic year, despite the university claiming to have 9,970 international academics.

In a statement released on Thursday, Harvard quickly denounced the action as "illegal," stating that it is "completely committed to maintaining Harvard's ability to host international students and intellectuals, who originate from more than 140 countries and enhance the University – and our nation – immensely."

"We are moving swiftly to offer direction and assistance to our community members. The academic and research mission of Harvard is undercut by this retaliatory move, which poses a severe threat to the Harvard community and our nation, according to university spokesperson Jason Newton.