is offering tuition waivers, travel support, and research grants to students and scholars looking to transfer from US institutions. Kyoto University and Tokyo University are also considering similar initiatives. Hong Kong has instructed its universities to actively attract top talent from the US China’s Xi’an Jiaotong University has issued an appeal to students from Harvard, offering fast-tracked admissions and full support.

The move follows actions by the Trump administration that critics say undermine US higher education. Last week, Harvard's ability to enrol international students was temporarily revoked, although a federal judge later blocked the move.

Masaru Ishii, dean of Osaka University’s graduate school of medicine, told Reuters, “This is a loss for all of humanity.”

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Japan has set a target to increase its foreign student population from 337,000 to 400,000 over the next decade.

Jessica Turner, CEO of Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), which ranks universities globally, said to Reuters institutions in Europe and Asia-Pacific are seeing more interest from students who are rethinking plans to study in the US Countries like Germany, France, Ireland, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, and mainland China are gaining visibility as alternatives. The crackdown on Chinese students has drawn particular attention. On Wednesday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the administration would “aggressively” restrict Chinese student visas. Currently, over 275,000 Chinese students study in the US, contributing significantly to both the revenue of educational institutions and the talent pool of tech companies. According to the US Department of Commerce, international students—more than half from India and China—added over $50 billion to the US economy in 2023.

This policy shift comes during the international application season. Many students are planning to arrive in the US by August to begin their studies. But some are now reconsidering.

Dai, a 24-year-old Chinese student from Chengdu, had intended to complete her master’s degree in the US but is now exploring options in the UK. “The various policies (by the US government) were a slap in my face,” she said. “I’m thinking about my mental health and it’s possible that I indeed change schools.”

The impact isn’t limited to Chinese students. Tom Moon, deputy head at Oxbridge Applications, said students from Britain and the EU are now more cautious about applying to US universities.

In contrast, British universities are seeing more interest from students currently in the US, according to Universities UK, though it is too early to confirm enrolment trends.

Ella Rickets, an 18-year-old Canadian student at Harvard, said her financial aid package may not be matched by other universities if she is forced to transfer. “Around the time I was applying to schools, the only university across the Atlantic I considered was Oxford... However, I realised that I would not be able to afford the international tuition and there was no sufficient scholarship or financial aid available,” she said.

If Harvard’s enrolment rights are revoked, she plans to apply to the University of Toronto.

QS reported that traffic to its ‘Study in America’ guide dropped 17.6% in the past year. Interest from India fell by more than 50%.

“Measurable impacts on enrolment typically emerge within six to 18 months. Reputational effects, however, often linger far longer, particularly where visa uncertainty and shifting work rights play into perceptions of risk versus return,” Turner said.

Caleb Thompson, a 20-year-old American student at Harvard, lives with eight international scholars. He said, “If America turns these brilliant and talented students away, they will find other places to work and study.”

(With inputs from Reuters)