German Harvard Students Expect to Have Prompt Discussions with American Counterparts, as Perceived by Foreign Office Plans - Foreign Ministry Pursues Prompt Dialogue with American Counterparts, as Demanded by German Students at Harvard
The situation for German (and other international) students studying at Harvard University in the United States has become tense and uncertain following recent actions by the Trump administration.
On Thursday, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), under Secretary Kristi Noem, revoked Harvard's privilege to enroll international students, claiming the university had not complied with demands to provide extensive information about its international student body. This included details on students' visa status, disciplinary actions, involvement in protests, and coursework—information needed to maintain visa status tracking under the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS).
However, Harvard contests that it has already complied with the government's requests as required under SEVP rules. The university is challenging the administration's demands, calling them unprecedented and lacking clear legal authority. In a lawsuit, Harvard accused the government of attempting to control the university's governance, curriculum, and ideological stance through these demands.
In response to this development, the German Foreign Office has announced a need for swift talks with the US partners to address the impact on German students. "We consider this an urgent matter that should be addressed very quickly now," a Foreign Office spokesperson emphasized. "Many concrete things are still not clear and must now be clarified quickly."
The discussions are aimed at considering the consequences for German students, according to the Foreign Office. The spokesperson also expressed the expectation that the interests of German students will be adequately taken into account during these talks.
In Berlin, the deputy government spokesperson, Sebastian Hille, commented that "free science is a core element of liberal democratic societies and a fixed component of our free democratic basic order." He added that "freedom of science and international exchange are crucial foundations for scientific, social, and economic progress." Restrictions on scientific freedom are regarded as restrictions on democracy itself.
The Federal Ministry of Education and Research has identified contact persons for German Harvard students as "intermediary organizations on site," not the Ministry itself. Minister Dorothee Bär (CSU) has previously stated that the "drastic decision" of the US government creates losers on all sides. Europe, she said, remains an attractive place for guaranteed scientific freedom, and close cooperation must be maintained at the European level.
A.A., a German Harvard student, is concerned about the future of their education in the US, following the Trump administration's revocation of Harvard's privilege to enroll international students. The German Foreign Office is emphasizing the need for urgent talks with US partners to address this issue's impact on German students, and Berlin's deputy government spokesperson, Sebastian Hille, has underscored the importance of free science and international exchange for scientific, social, and economic progress. Meanwhile, the Federal Ministry of Education and Research has designated intermediary organizations on site as contact persons for German Harvard students.
