The Trump administration announced on Thursday (May 22) that Harvard University would lose its authorization to enroll international students. Current foreign students are being required to transfer to different institutions or risk losing their legal status. Additionally, there are threats to extend these measures to other colleges. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem directed the department to revoke Harvard's certification for the Student and Exchange Visitor Program, effective for the 2025-2026 academic year, according to a departmental statement.
In response, Hong Kong's world-ranked universities—five of which sit within the global top 100—have rolled out expedited transfer policies to absorb displaced scholars. DotDotNews outlines key opportunities below:
University of Hong Kong (HKU)
Harvard undergraduates from institutions ranked within the top 50 of QS or Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings may apply for transfers if they hold a GPA of at least 3.0 or 70% of their school's maximum scale. Applications must be submitted by August 22, with interviews required.
Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST)
In a bold move, HKUST issued an open invitation on Thursday to current Harvard undergraduates, postgraduates, and admitted students, offering priority handling of applications, customized credit transfers, visa support, and housing assistance. A dedicated team will manage inquiries via hkust-Harvard@ust.hk. Other international students may also apply for transfers, with credit evaluations conducted case-by-case.
Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK)
All international transfer students will enroll as first-year students, regardless of prior coursework. Credits from previous degrees may be exempted post-enrollment, subject to faculty review.
City University of Hong Kong (CityU)
Transfer applicants could qualify for Advanced Standing I admission, requiring a minimum of 90 credits to graduate, depending on program requirements.
Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU)
International transfers must start as first-year students, though credit exemptions may be granted individually.
Hong Kong, leveraging its academic prestige and stability, aims to position itself as a safe haven for global talent amid geopolitical turbulence. Education analysts warn the policy could accelerate brain drain from American institutions while bolstering Asia's rise as a research hub.
(Editors: Clara Chen, Liu Yu)
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