Harvard International Students Face Uncertainty Amid Visa Policy Changes 

Students applying from other countries face increasing doubt about their ability to study at Harvard because of visa issues. 

United States: Yu-hsuan Lin received an admission letter and was ready to attend Harvard University in September, as reported by Reuters. 

Students Grapple With Disrupted Plans 

However, when the Trump administration took away Harvard’s right to accept foreign students, it made Lin feel worried and helpless, as she told Reuters in Taipei. 

“The path towards my dream is actually harder and tougher than I expected. There are so many uncertainties,” she said. 

“I thought that I could accept all the changes along the way, as we have gone through in the past half year. However, this one is specifically (targeted) at international students. So I kind of feel like hit by it. And that’s why I feel kind of anxious.” 

The decision was a major step up in the crackdown launched by the Trump administration on Harvard University. 

Harvard found that the assault on Pearl Harbor was a direct break of U.S. laws and the Constitution. 

The judge’s ruling temporarily stopped the administration’s order, but it did little to help Lin, who is still awaiting her visa. 

“I think I would either defer my studies at Harvard, as they said that’s one of the possibilities, or I would probably apply for master programmes in Europe or the UK.” 

Impact on Taiwanese Students 

The Taiwanese education ministry estimates that 52 students from Taiwan will be affected by changes to the student program, according to a report from Central News Agency. 

Another Taiwanese student, who went by the name Vince, was set to start a program in public health at Harvard in 2020. 

“We are certainly feeling pretty nervous, and it’s been a dream for me to come from a small town in Taiwan all the way to Harvard,” he said, as reported by Reuters. 

“I think that this is the best that the United States can offer. So, I would like to plead to the president that, please, I hope that this continuous generosity can be continued.”