- HKUST leads the way in inviting international Harvard students and accepted applicants to continue their education amid U.S. visa uncertainties.
- Japan and Malaysia follow, with Sunway University’s Group CEO Elizabeth Lee offering direct transfers and partnerships with Arizona State University and Lancaster University.
- Triggered by the Trump administration’s visa policy, the move comes after a legal challenge by Harvard, with a court hearing scheduled.
In an effort to enable students to pursue further education without halt, non-American universities are now opening their gates for Harvard University's affected top brains.
It was first the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) that extended an invitation to international Harvard University students and students with accepted Harvard degree offers to pursue their studies at HKUST. Then follows the Japanese government calling on local universities to consider accepting temporarily students who are currently enrolled in U.S. schools following Washington's action to exclude foreign students from Harvard University.
The Thursday decision by the Trump administration has created uncertainty over the future of thousands of foreign students. The decision was suspended temporarily by an American judge after a lawsuit by Harvard. The court is again hearing the Harvard case.
The most recent assistance has been provided by a Malaysian university. Elizabeth Lee, Group CEO at Sunway Education Group & Professor at Sunway University, posted on LinkedIn to provide an alternative solution for impacted students.
THE Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2025 has officially ranked Sunway University as Malaysia's highest-ranked private, non-government-linked university.
Following is what she posted: "Dear Sunway and other international students at Harvard,
I am truly sorry to hear you’re all caught in a bind with the US Department of Homeland Security’s recent announcement that Harvard would lose its Student and Exchange Visitor Programme certification, which places the university’s current and incoming international students at serious risk of losing their legal right of passage and abode in the USA.
Please know that you’re most welcome to immediately transfer to us at Sunway Education. We can accept any of your affected students directly into our scope of programmes at Sunway University. We have an affiliation with Arizona State University (ASU) whereby we can arrange the transfer of all your credits achieved with Harvard to ASU, or even to any of our very own Sun-U degree programmes, which can also qualify you with further British certification from Lancaster University.
Come explore this opportunity with us expediently to ensure a least disruptive transition to a much more welcoming and equally vibrant community of learners".
