Taipei: With her admission letter in hand, Yu-hsuan Lin had been preparing to realize a lifelong dream: starting her studies at Harvard University this September. However, her excitement was swiftly replaced with uncertainty after the U.S. administration under then-President Donald Trump revoked Harvard’s ability to enrol foreign students.
Speaking from her apartment in Taipei, Lin shared her concerns with Reuters.
“The path towards my dream is actually harder and tougher than I expected. There are so many uncertainties,” she said.
“I thought that I could accept all the changes along the way as what we have gone through in the past half year. However, this one is specifically (targeted) at the international students. So I kind of feel like really hit by it. And that’s why I feel kind of anxious.”
The U.S. government’s decision signaled a sharp escalation in its confrontation with the elite Ivy League institution in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Harvard denounced the move as a “blatant violation” of the U.S. Constitution and federal law.
Although a U.S. judge later issued a temporary block on the order, the relief was short-lived for students like Lin, who was still waiting for her visa to be processed. Faced with uncertainty, Lin said she was considering alternative academic options.
“I think I would either defer my studies at Harvard, as they said that’s one of the possibilities, or I would probably apply for master programmes in Europe or the UK,” she added.
According to Taiwan’s Ministry of Education, as reported by the official Central News Agency, the U.S. government’s move is likely to impact 52 Taiwanese students.
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Among them is another student, who identified himself only as Vince, and was scheduled to begin studying public health at Harvard.
“We are certainly feeling pretty nervous, and it’s been a dream for me to come from a small town in Taiwan all the way to Harvard,” he said.
“I think that this is the best that the United States can offer. So, I would like to plead to the president that, please, I hope that this continuous generosity can be continued.”
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The enrolment freeze not only casts a shadow over individual dreams but also underscores growing tensions between the U.S. and global academic communities, as international students remain uncertain about their future in American higher education.
