Trump’s Harvard battle is making some students consider European universities instead

As Harvard University battles the Trump administration to preserve its right to enroll international students, business schools across Europe say they’re already seeing a rise in applications.

The White House move, announced May 22, barred Harvard from accepting international students and froze visa appointments at US embassies globally while the State Department expanded the screening and vetting of applicants’ social media.

A federal judge has temporarily blocked the policy, and a full hearing is expected in July.

But top institutions from Paris to Berlin told Business Insider the situation was fueling a rise in interest from prospective international students.

“We have observed the impact of recent US policy shifts, particularly the decision to ban Harvard from enrolling new international students,” said Julie Dobiecki, head of media relations at HEC Paris, a business school.

“Lead generation from the US is up approximately 12%, and by an average of 15% from China, Latin America, and Canada compared to the same period last year,” she said.

Dobiecki said the uptick was directly linked to uncertainty in the US.

“Given current geopolitical developments and feedback from prospective candidates, we anticipate that this movement will not only continue, but likely intensify,” she added.

The dean of Esade Business School in Spain, Joan Rodón Mòdol, described a similar trend.

“The uncertainty caused by political and migratory factors is leading many international students to reconsider their academic destination — and Barcelona is a highly valued city in this regard,” he said.

The Esade dean said international students already make up 38% of its student body, and its full-time MBA, ranked 8th globally, draws applicants from 100 countries.

In response to US visa disruptions, the school has launched a fast-track admissions process offering decisions within seven business days and automatic consideration for scholarships.

In Germany, ESMT Berlin reported an even more dramatic spike.

“For our full-time MBA, preliminary numbers show that applications from the US have nearly doubled,” up 80% compared to the same period last year, said Lennart Richter, a spokesperson for the school.

Richter added that the motivations cited most often by applicants were political.

“Many US candidates are still mid-process — engaged in consultations, one-on-one advising, or in the final stages of application. The overall pipeline suggests a considerable uptick,” he said.

BI previously reported how universities in Asia were giving “unconditional offers” — and touting how close tropical getaways are — in a bid to draw students grappling with Trump’s crackdown on Harvard.

The National University of Singapore billed itself as “Asia’s leading business school” and touted how the city “happens to be a short plane trip from Bali and Phuket.”

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