Countries Jump To Accept the US’ Threatened International Students 

Japan said it would welcome international students affected by the Trump administration’s decision to bar Harvard University from enrolling foreign nationals, part of a broader effort to support displaced students and enhance its academic standing amid the turmoil in US higher education, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported. 

On Tuesday, Education Minister Toshiko Abe announced that her ministry had asked public and private universities to consider admitting foreign students whose enrollment at Harvard had been disrupted or whose academic status is now unclear.  

The decision follows a US directive blocking Harvard from enrolling international students in the 2025-26 academic year, citing the university’s alleged failure to address antisemitism, campus violence and purported ties with the Chinese Communist Party.  

A US federal judge has issued a temporary restraining order against the ban, but legal proceedings are ongoing. 

Students from more than 140 countries are affected by the ban, including high-profile individuals such as the future queen of Belgium, Princess Elisabeth, Politico added. 

Abe said Japan’s foreign and education ministries were coordinating to gather information and explore support measures. The University of Tokyo confirmed that it is assessing how it might temporarily accommodate affected students.  

Academics praised the move as both a diplomatic and academic opportunity, saying the decision is likely to appeal to many international students.  

Tomoko Owan, an associate professor at the University of the Ryukyus, told the SCMP that welcoming some of the world’s brightest students “will raise academic standards and show Japan’s capacity to compete globally.” 

Japan’s offer comes as other countries have stepped forward to try to lure international students in the US, while others are attempting to entice academics and researchers to leave the US.  

Hong Kong’s University of Science and Technology announced “unconditional offers” and streamlined admission for affected Harvard students, according to the Independent.  

The city’s Education Secretary Christine Choi also urged the city-state’s academic institutions to provide “facilitation measures” and announced relaxed student quotas to accommodate incoming international students. 

China, whose nationals make up the largest segment of international students at Harvard, warned that the US was “politicizing education.” Beijing said Sino-American educational exchanges were “mutually beneficial” and vowed to “safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese students and scholars overseas.” 

Meanwhile, the European Union this month launched the “Choose Europe” program, a $570-million initiative to attract scholars worried by funding cuts and academic freedoms, NBC News reported. 

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen emphasized “free and open research,” in what observers called a veiled rebuke of US policy.