Hong Kong has announced plans to expand university access for international students, particularly those affected by the United States government’s controversial move to block Harvard University from enrolling foreign nationals. The decision from the Trump administration, made on Thursday, May 22, and temporarily suspended by a U.S. judge following a lawsuit from Harvard, has cast uncertainty over the future of thousands of foreign students and the significant revenues they generate.
In response, Hong Kong Education Secretary Christine Choi on Friday urged local universities to open their doors wider to international talent. “For international students affected by the United States’ student admission policy, the Education Bureau (EDB) has appealed to all universities in Hong Kong to provide facilitation measures for eligible students,” Choi said, according to a statement carried by AFP. She added that universities in the city are leveraging government measures to ease foreign student caps in a bid to attract more applicants.
One of the city’s top institutions, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), has already extended an invitation to international students currently enrolled at Harvard or those who had received admission offers to the university. “HKUST is extending this opportunity to ensure talented students can pursue their educational goals without disruption,” the university said, promising streamlined admissions, academic support, and unconditional offers for those affected.
While Harvard holds the top spot in U.S. News and World Report’s global university rankings, HKUST ranks 105th out of more than 2,000 institutions, positioning itself as a strong alternative for displaced students seeking continuity in their education.
The Trump administration’s targeting of Harvard comes amid rising political tensions with China and accusations by the president that the university harbours anti-Semitic sentiment and left-leaning ideology. U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Thursday defended the administration’s action, claiming it would hold Harvard “accountable for fostering violence, anti-Semitism, and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party on its campus.”
However, Beijing swiftly condemned the move, criticising what it described as the politicisation of education and warning that it would damage the international reputation of the United States.
The judicial intervention on Friday, May 23, brought temporary relief to the university, with a judge ruling that the government’s attempt to bar foreign admissions was unlawful. Still, the case remains unresolved, and uncertainty lingers over the status of thousands of students. Harvard currently has about 1,300 Chinese students enrolled, making up roughly 20 percent of its international student population. Many more from China attend other American institutions, which have long been prized for their academic freedom and rigorous standards.
As Washington’s policies increasingly clash with the global education landscape, Hong Kong appears poised to position itself as an alternative hub for international scholarship, offering continuity for those whose educational journeys have been disrupted.
