Harvard needs to meet these 6 conditions to keep its international students

US government sets conditions after cancelling Harvard's certification to host foreign students

To regain its certification to enrol international students, Harvard University must meet six specific conditions set by the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Friday.

 

This follows DHS’s decision on Thursday to cancel Harvard’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) certification, effectively barring the university from hosting international students for the 2025–2026 academic year.

 

The university has been given 72 hours to comply and submit the required information.

 

What conditions must Harvard meet to keep its international students?

 

The six conditions are: 

1. Records of any illegal activity involving international students in the past five years.

 

2. Information on dangerous or violent acts by these students.

3. Records of any threats made by them.

4. Evidence of any situations where they may have violated the rights of others.

5. All disciplinary records of international students.

6. Video or audio recordings of protests involving them on campus.

 

 

In its order cancelling the university’s SEVP certification, DHS claimed that Harvard has allowed “anti-American, pro-terrorist organisations” to harm Jewish students on campus. However, the department did not provide any evidence to support the allegations.

Without this certification, the Ivy League university cannot enrol new students on F-1 or J-1 visas. In addition, current international students at Harvard must transfer to another institution to legally remain in the US.

 

What DHS said in its order

 

In a letter dated May 22, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem explained the decision:  “All universities must comply with Department of Homeland Security requirements, including reporting requirements under the Student and Exchange Visitor Program regulations, to maintain this privilege,” she wrote.

 

Noem accused Harvard of refusing to share important information with DHS and of fostering an unsafe and hostile environment for Jewish students. 

 

“As a result of your refusal to comply with multiple requests to provide the Department of Homeland Security pertinent information while perpetuating an unsafe campus environment that is hostile to Jewish students, promotes pro-Hamas sympathies, and employs racist ‘diversity, equity, and inclusion’ policies, you have lost this privilege,” she stated.

 

Noem added that revoking SEVP certification means Harvard is now prohibited from hosting any nonimmigrant students on F-1 or J-1 visas for the upcoming academic year. Existing international students must transfer elsewhere to maintain their visa status.

 

She also warned that submitting false or misleading information to DHS could result in criminal charges:  “Please be advised that providing materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent information may subject you to criminal prosecution under 18 USC 1001. Other criminal and civil sanctions may also apply.”

 

Harvard has not yet issued an official response.