Top Admissions Experts On International Student Ban At Harvard

On May 22, the Trump administration revoked Harvard University’s ability to enroll international students. This leaves many international students wondering what to do.

Advice From Top International Admissions Consultants

Some consultants were themselves once international students. In a direct message to me on LinkedIn, Petia Whitmore, Founder of My MBA Path, said, “As someone whose life and career were profoundly shaped by the opportunities made possible through U.S. education, I’m deeply invested in ensuring others can continue to access those same paths. The prospect that this route could narrow for future applicants is extremely troubling.”

Whitmore says, “I’m actively speaking with candidates about it, including one international applicant I just commenced Round 1 work with this morning, who has HBS on their list. We discussed the uncertainty ahead and the importance of expanding both school and career strategies to include the U.S. and Europe. That said, this remains a fast-moving situation, and it’s still too early to offer clear, actionable advice.”

Arvind Kumar is the Founder of admitStreet in Bengaluru. In correspondence on WhatsApp, Kumar said, “I work with a mix of candidates exploring both U.S. and E.U./U.K. programs, and my advice to them right now is to stay optimistic, but also mindful of the risks.”

Could this be a permanent chill? Kumar said, “The U.S. has weathered political and cultural shocks before, and today’s uncertainty could even open up opportunities for applicants by lowering competition. But some of what we’re seeing now feels different–more serious, more lasting–and it may potentially affect more U.S. schools over time.”

Kumar advises students to think beyond the U.S. He said, “Given that, I’m encouraging candidates to hedge their bets and consider a balanced mix of programs across the U.S. and E.U./U.K.–aligned not just with their short-term and long-term career goals, but also with their geographic and financial preferences.”

Heartbreak

Candy Lee La Balle, Founder of mbaClarity in Madrid, used “heartbreak” to describe her response. La Balle wrote to me on WhatsApp, “In general, I’m heartbroken. But my job as a consultant is to console my clients and share with them the most correct information that I can find.”

La Balle’s response was visceral. She wrote, “When I read the decision by the administration, it felt like a kick in the chest. I had a panic attack. I cried for a few hours. And then I spent the next day talking with all my colleagues around the world. In general, I think we have to wait and see. The response of my admitted students has mainly been controlled worry. They have told me things like, ‘We are hoping for the best.’ And I think that’s all they can do right now.”

Stabilizing Factors

Admissions Gateway in Gurgaon saw 35 of their international clients accepted to Harvard Business School this year. Founder Rajdeep Chinmi told me in a direct message on LinkedIn, “While there is uncertainty, we have advised students to stay calm, control what is in their sphere of influence, and wait for the outcome of the May 29th court hearing.”

Harvard’s generous financial aid helps, suggested Chinmi. He said, “Many of the students Admissions Gateway worked with this year got substantial aid packages, including tuition waivers. The uncertainties of the new policies and everything that is happening with the Trump administration gets a little set off when you place it with the fact that those people are not taking out $170,000 of debt and having this uncertainty. They have a fee waiver and they have all this uncertainty, which is an easier situation to sort of palate.”

HBS has offered international students a solution of last resort. On May 23, Rupal Gadhia, Managing Director of MBA Admissions and Financial Aid at HBS, wrote to admitted students, “As in past years, any international admitted student who is unable to start the program due to visa issues, despite having taken all reasonable and proactive steps to secure a visa, will be given an option to defer to the HBS MBA Class of 2028.”

Of course, this leaves open the question of what might happen if HBS is unable to enroll international students at all. But it does give admitted students the sense that HBS is on their side as they navigate unprecedented uncertainty.