A university in Hong Kong is extending “unconditional offers” to international students at Harvard after the Trump administration moved to block the Ivy League college from enrolling them.
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) on Friday announced an “open invitation” to foreign students currently studying at Harvard, as well as those with confirmed offers, to study there instead. The attempt to lure students away from one of the most prestigious schools in America comes amid Trump’s sweeping attacks on U.S. educational institutions, which Beijing says are damaging Washington’s international standing.
“As a leading international institution ranked among the top universities globally, HKUST is extending this opportunity to ensure talented students can pursue their educational goals without disruption,” the university said in a statement. “We will provide unconditional offers, streamlined admissions, and academic support to ensure a seamless transition for interested students.”
Harvard enrolled more than 1,200 students from China in 2024, according to its data.
HKUST is ranked 66th in the world by the 2025 Times Higher Education World University Rankings, while Harvard holds the third spot.
HKUST’s move comes as the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) escalates its feud with America’s oldest university by barring it from enrolling new international students and forcing current visa holders to transfer.
DHS claims Harvard’s leadership has created an “unsafe” campus environment by allowing “anti-American, pro-terrorist agitators” to intimidate Jewish students.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said the Trump administration must hold Harvard accountable for “fostering violence, antisemitism, and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party” on campus.
“It is a privilege—not a right—for universities to enroll foreign students and benefit from their higher tuition payments to help pad their multibillion-dollar endowments. Harvard had plenty of opportunities to do the right thing. It refused,” Noem said. “Let this serve as a warning to all universities and academic institutions across the country.”
Chinese government officials have also pushed back against the accusations that it is conspiring with Harvard.
A spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry said Beijing “has always opposed the politicization of educational collaboration,” adding that the Trump administration’s crackdown on Harvard’s international students will “only damage the image and international credibility of itself.”
On Friday, Harvard announced it is suing the Trump administration over the decision to revoke its authority to enroll international students.
The complaint, filed in a Massachusetts court, argues that the decision will have an “immediate and devastating” impact on more than 7,000 visa holders currently enrolled at the university.
“With the stroke of a pen, the government has sought to erase a quarter of Harvard’s student body—international students who contribute significantly to the university and its mission,” the filing states. “Without its international students, Harvard is not Harvard.”
Harvard is also suing the administration over the freezing of more than $2.2 billion in federal funding and grants after the university defied a series of government demands to restrict student activism and eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs.
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