Rama Krishna Sangem
Japan and China are wooing foreign students who want to go to Harvard University in the US. President Donald Trump is putting restrictions on Harvard from taking international students, in view of its liberal policies. This is proving to be an opportunity to other major global universities to attract those who wish to study at Harvard.
Other global universities are making efforts to attract students impacted by US President Donald Trump’s recent measures targeting academic institutions. These initiatives aim to draw in top-tier students while also tapping into the multi-billion-dollar education sector currently centred in the United States.
Osaka University, one of Japan’s leading institutions, is offering full tuition waivers, research funding, and assistance with travel costs for students and researchers who wish to transfer from US institutions. Kyoto University and the University of Tokyo are reportedly considering similar plans. In addition, Hong Kong authorities have urged their universities to actively recruit talented students from the US.
In China, Xi’an Jiaotong University is reaching out to students at Harvard — one of the universities directly affected — promising “streamlined” admissions and “comprehensive” support.
Trump gives opportunity to Japan, China
Under Trump’s administration, funding for academic research has seen significant cuts, visa rules for international students — particularly those from China — have been tightened, and plans are underway to impose higher taxes on elite institutions.
Trump has accused prominent US universities of fostering anti-American sentiment. In one of the most severe actions, the administration revoked Harvard University’s permission to enrol international students. However, this decision was halted by a federal judge.
Masaru Ishii, Dean of the Graduate School of Medicine at Osaka University, said, “A loss for all of humanity.” Japan is aiming to increase its international student population from the current 337,000 to 400,000 within the next decade.
Jessica Turner, CEO of Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), a London-based global university analytics firm said many leading institutions worldwide are looking to attract students who are now uncertain about studying in the US. She highlighted Germany, France, and Ireland as emerging alternatives in Europe. In the Asia-Pacific region, New Zealand, Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea, Japan, and mainland China are gaining visibility among prospective students.
Chinese students most affected
Chinese students have been particularly affected by the US government’s actions. Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently vowed to “aggressively” restrict visas for Chinese nationals.
There are currently over 275,000 Chinese students at US colleges, providing significant revenue and serving as a talent pool for American tech firms. In 2023, international students — 54 per cent of whom came from India and China — contributed more than $50 billion to the US economy, according to the Department of Commerce.
The timing of these changes is crucial, as many students are finalising plans to move to the US for the new academic year starting in August. Dai, a 25-year-old from Chengdu, had planned to pursue her master’s degree in the US but is now leaning towards an offer from a British university.
