SINGAPORE: Singapore’s embassy in Washington DC has engaged the US Department of State and the Department of Homeland Security about Donald Trump’s revocation of Harvard’s Student and Exchange Visitor Programme (SEVP) certification.
Singapore is also monitoring the impact of the measures on the academic prospects of Singaporean students, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) on Tuesday (May 27) in response to CNA queries.
A ministry spokesperson added that Singaporean students at Harvard should remain in contact with its International Student Services for updates.
On May 22, the Trump administration moved to block Harvard from enrolling foreign students, but a judge suspended the order the next day pending a hearing this week, after the university sued and called the action unconstitutional.
If the directive comes into effect, Harvard will no longer be allowed to enrol foreign students for the 2025-2026 academic year. Existing international students must either transfer to other schools or risk losing their legal status in the US.
According to university statistics, 151 Singaporeans are enrolled in Harvard’s current academic year. This includes 12 Public Service Commission scholarship holders, widely regarded as one of Singapore’s most prestigious government scholarships.
Tensions between Trump officials and Harvard had been building for months over demands that the university submit conduct records about foreign students, as well as change its admissions and hiring practices to combat antisemitism on campus.
MFA said its Consular Department and the Singapore Global Network have established a group communication channel for the affected students, and those at Harvard can register online to be added to the channel.
The Singapore Ambassador in Washington DC will hold a virtual town hall with Singaporean students in Harvard on May 30, and more details will be shared with the registered students via the channel.
Most Harvard students completed their semester last week, and many international students have returned to their home countries for the summer holidays, Singaporean students told CNA.
Possibly being unable to re-enter the US is a “huge concern” for many international students, and the consequences of the new measures will probably become clear only in the next few weeks, students said.
