Harvard University has recorded its largest proportion of international students in more than two decades, even as the United States of America (USA) has tightened visa policies and political pressure on foreign enrolment. 

In the autumn 2025 intake, international students accounted for 28 per cent of Harvard’s total student body, totalling about 6,749 students. This is the highest share in international students at Harvard since at least 2002, according to university data.

This rise comes at a time when international student numbers are declining across many US colleges and universities. National data show a general drop in foreign enrolment, making Harvard’s growth notable in contrast to the wider trend of reduced international student presence, India Today reports.

Indian students were among the key contributors to Harvard’s overseas cohort. In 2025, around 545 students from India enrolled across various Harvard schools, including business, law, public health and design programmes.

The increase has occurred amid ongoing disputes between Harvard and the federal government over visa rules and foreign student admissions. 

In 2025, the US Department of Homeland Security moved to revoke Harvard’s certification under the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), which could have prevented the university from enrolling new international students. 

The university successfully challenged that action in court, securing a temporary order allowing continued enrolment.