On June 4, 2025, President Trump issued a presidential proclamation suspending the entry of foreign nationals who seek to enter the United States to begin a course of study, conduct research or participate in an exchange visitor program at Harvard University. The proclamation invokes sections 212(f) and 215(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act and is set to expire six months from the date of issuance unless extended.
This action follows the Department of Homeland Security’s May 22, 2025, announcement terminating Harvard’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) certification. That earlier DHS action is currently under a temporary restraining order issued by the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts.
Key Provisions
The proclamation suspends and limits entry for foreign nationals who seek to enter the United States on F, M or J visas in order to begin study or participate in a program at Harvard University.
The suspension applies only to new entrants seeking to begin a course of study or program at Harvard on or after the date of the proclamation.
The suspension does not apply to foreign nationals enrolled at other institutions, nor does it apply automatically to current Harvard students already in the United States.
The secretary of state may consider whether current Harvard students in F, M or J status should have their visas revoked under the Immigration and Nationality Act §221(i).
Exceptions may be granted if the secretary of state or secretary of homeland security determines that a particular individual’s entry would be in the national interest.
A review is required within 90 days to assess whether the suspension should be extended or modified.
The proclamation also directs federal agencies to consider additional operational steps, including potential limitations on Harvard’s continued participation in SEVP and the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVIS). It references recordkeeping and reporting obligations under existing regulations and states that these obligations are necessary to support national security and immigration enforcement.
CUPA-HR will monitor for additional updates on this and related developments.
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Dive Brief:
The U.S. Department of Homeland Securityon Thursdaypulled Harvard University’s authorization to enroll international students, dramatically escalating the already-tense battle between the Trump administration and the Ivy League institution.
The agency accused Harvard of creating a “toxic campus climate” by accommodating “anti-American, pro-terrorist agitators.”Kristi Noem, head of the department, also accused the university of “coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party on its campus.”
The move, which the university on Thursday called unlawful, endangers the visas of Harvard’s international students, as they must transfer to another college or they will lose their legal status. Almost 6,800 international students attended Harvard in the 2024-25 academic year, making up 27.2% of the university’s student body, according to institutional data.
Dive Insight:
In April, DHS threatened to revoke Harvard’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program certificationif the university did not comply with an extensive records request about its “foreign student visa holders’ illegal and violent activities” by the end of the month. International students studying in the U.S. can only attend colleges that are SEVP-approved.
But DHS’ threat against Harvard, while substantial, was largely sidelined from public attention amid the Trump administration’s vast interruptions and cuts to the university’s federal funding.
That includes the Trump administration’s decision to freeze $2.2 billion of Harvard’s funding the same day the university publicly rebuked the government’s demands for academic, hiring and enrollment changes.
Since then, Harvard has sued the federal government over the withheld funding,arguing it is being used “as leverage to gain control of academic decisionmaking” and has “nothing at all to do with antisemitism” and compliance with civil rights laws as the Trump administration claims.
The university now faces another attack on its financial well-being: the loss of tuition revenue from international students.
“It is a privilege, not a right, for universities to enroll foreign students and benefit from their higher tuition payments to help pad their multibillion-dollar endowments,” Noem said in a statement Thursday.
In an email Thursday, a Harvard spokesperson called DHS’ actions unlawful and said the university’s international students and scholars enrich it immeasurably.
“We are working quickly to provide guidance and support to members of our community. This retaliatory action threatens serious harm to the Harvard community and our country, and undermines Harvard’s academic and research mission,” the spokesperson said.
Last month, Harvard’s undergraduate admissions office notified prospective international students that they may want to have a “backup plan” in place amid DHS’ threats, The Harvard Crimson reported. To that end, the university began allowing them to accept admission to both Harvard and another non-American institution.
However, Harvard still bans international students from accepting spots at other U.S. colleges. In addition to legal reasons, the university said “the situation at Harvard might be replicated at other American universities,” according to the Crimson.
Noam signaled her willingness to do just that.
“Let this serve as a warning to all universities and academic institutions across the country,” she said Thursday, arguing that Harvard had “had plenty of opportunity to do the right thing” and refused.
“The administration seems hellbent on employing every means at its disposal — no matter how unlawful or unconstitutional — to retaliate against Harvard and other colleges and universities for speech it doesn’t like,”the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression said in a statement Thursday.
FIRE also called DHS’ wide-ranging records request from Harvard “gravely alarming.”
“This sweeping fishing expedition reaches protected expression and must be flatly rejected,” the organization said.
SEVP, a bureaucratic program not typically in the national limelight,gained attention as DHS under President Donald Trump abruptly canceled scores of visas held by international students studying in the U.S.
These revocations, often enacted by the agency without warningor explanation, have prompted numerous lawsuits against DHS.
On April 25, the Trump administration doublebacked and reinstated the canceled visas, the exact number of which is unknown. The move came after judges in more than 50 lawsuits issued temporary injunctions against the visa cancellations, according to Politico.
However, just days later,the Trump administration shared a policy expanding the authority of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to terminate educational visas throughStudent and Exchange Visitor Information System,the records management system run by SEVP.
Under the policy, evidence of an international student’s failure to comply with the terms of their legal status — not proof or “clear and convincing evidence” — would be enough for ICE to revoke it, according to guidance issued Thursday by the law firm Hunton.
The guidance also noted that the new policy did not address the federal government’s practice of terminating students’ visas without notifying them — meaning they may still have their legal status pulled without either them or their colleges being informed.
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Dive Brief:
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security on Wednesday threatened to pull Harvard University’s ability to enroll foreign students if the Ivy League institution does not comply with an extensive record request by April 30. The agency also canceled $2.7 million in grants to the university.
Earlier in the week, President Donald Trump reupped his calls for Harvard to lose its tax-exempt status and all federal funding. This all comes just days after the Trump administration’s antisemitism task force announced it was freezing over $2.2 billion in multi-year grants and contracts to Harvard.
The federal onslaught follows Harvard’s refusal to comply with a list of unprecedented demands from the Trump administration, which university leadership called an overstep of authority — an assessment with which free speech and higher education experts have agreed.
Dive Insight:
The federal Joint Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism first turned its attention on Harvard last month. The task force announced a review into $9 billion of the university’s federal funding and claimed that Harvard has not done enough to protect Jewish students from harassment. However, it did not publicly cite specific incidents or allegations, and some free speech experts and Israeli academics argue the administration is weaponizing antisemitism concerns.
Days after announcing the review, federal officials delivered Harvard a laundry list of ultimatums, including changes to academic programming and “meaningful governance reforms.” If the university complied, it had a chance — but no guarantee — to continue receiving federal funding, the task force said.
In response, Harvard became the first well-known institution to rebuke the Trump administration’s demands. Alan Garber, president of Harvard, said the task force’s desired oversight oversteps its authority and infringes on the university’s constitutional rights.
“No government — regardless of which party is in power — should dictate what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and which areas of study and inquiry they can pursue,” he said in a Monday statement.
Upon Garber’s defiance, the task force froze billions of the university’s federal funding and made further demands, including that it “audit the student body, faculty, staff, and leadership for viewpoint diversity.”
On Wednesday, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Harvard was “bending the knee to antisemitism” under “its spineless leadership.”
The department is now demanding that the university hand over “detailed records on Harvard’s foreign student visa holders’ illegal and violent activities” by the end of the month or immediately lose its Student and Exchange Visitor Program certification.
International students studying the U.S. cannot attend a college that is not SEVP approved.
In 2024-25, 6,793 international students attended Harvard, making up 27.2% of the university’s enrollment, according to institutional data.
“If Harvard cannot verify it is in full compliance with its reporting requirements, the university will lose the privilege of enrolling foreign students,” DHS said in a statement.
Following Harvard’s condemnation of federal interference attempts, Trump ratcheted up his criticism of the university online.
“Harvard can no longer be considered even a decent place of learning, and should not be considered on any list of the World’s Great Universities or Colleges,” he said in a Wednesday social media post. “Harvard is a JOKE, teaches Hate and Stupidity, and should no longer receive Federal Funds. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
In a separate post, he said that Harvard should “be Taxed as a Political Entity.”
It’s not clear that the Trump administration would have gone easier on Harvard had it complied.
Columbia University, another Ivy League institution, agreed to a similar round of task force demands following the cancellation of $400 million in federal contracts and grants. The task force praised the university’s compliance but has yet to publicly reinstate its funding. The Trump administration also reportedly began pursuing a consent decree against Columbia, which would give the federal courts increased oversight of the institution.
Columbia has since followed Harvard’s lead. In a Monday statement, its newly-appointed acting president said the university “would reject heavy-handed orchestration from the government that could potentially damage our institution and undermine useful reforms that serve the best interests of our students and community.”
As the higher education landscape continues to shift and evolve, the expectations and priorities of today’s students are shifting as well. To stay relevant, institutions are expanding their focus beyond traditional academic models to better meet the needs of a more discerning audience. Modern Learners are no longer bound by age or conventional learning modalities—today’s students are driven by different priorities, presenting a challenge for institutions relying on outdated methods to engage this demographic.
With primary motivators including career advancement and the need for flexibility, Modern Learners demand educational opportunities that offer accessibility, transparency and value. They are more selective, especially as the perceived value of a college degree has been questioned amid economic uncertainty. With rising student debt, these learners are looking for programs that provide a clear return on investment—an education that advances their careers while offering flexible options that meet their financial and personal needs. Success lies in striking a balance between value and cost-effectiveness, ensuring students feel seen, supported and equipped for the future.
Explore ten essential strategies for higher education institutions to expand their offerings and better engage Modern Learners. From improving strategies to leveraging resources and fostering deeper connections with students, these strategies aim to engage with Modern Learners based on their preferences and behavior rather than demographics by embracing a Unified Enrollment Strategy that fuels sustainable growth.
1. Build a Cohesive Brand
In a competitive landscape where a strong brand is essential, the increasingly selective nature of Modern Learners calls for an institution’s brand to resonate with prospective students.
Your institution’s brand identity should authentically reflect its values, mission and unique offerings. A compelling brand narrative not only showcases your unique selling proposition (USP), but also serves as an opportunity to connect on a deeper level with potential students, fostering trust and engagement.
Building a cohesive brand experience involves aligning visual elements, messaging and tone to create consistency across all touchpoints—from your website to social media, emails and beyond. This alignment strengthens students’ understanding of your value proposition, guiding them throughout their journey and ensuring they feel engaged at every stage.
At EducationDynamics, our in-house Creative team specializes in data-driven brand positioning and strategy. We take the time to understand your institution’s unique strengths and craft creative solutions that support the student journey, from initial discovery to enrollment. Discover how our creative services can help your institution’s brand thrive and successfully engage Modern Learners.
2. Adopt a Full-Funnel Marketing Approach
As Modern Learners increasingly seek personalized learning experiences that align with their needs, institutions need to elevate their marketing strategies to meet their growing expectations. By embracing a full-funnel approach, schools can more effectively engage with students at every stage of their journey, leading to stronger enrollment outcomes.
A holistic full-funnel marketing approach not only boosts engagement, but also augments long-term growth by nurturing students from awareness to decision. As students continue to research more throughout their journey and prioritize personalized content, institutions must adopt comprehensive approaches to effectively reach them.
With EducationDynamics’ multi-channel digital marketing expertise, schools can target students across various platforms, ensuring personalized messaging and an engaging experience across every touchpoint. If you want to learn more about how to build a successful full-funnel marketing approach, check out our Full-Funnel Marketing Guide for Higher Education.
3. Utilize Market Research to Identify High-Growth Programs
To effectively meet the evolving priorities of Modern Learners, institutions must develop programs that align with market trends and career opportunities. Leveraging market research allows schools to refine their offerings and better address students’ shifting needs and expectations.
Resources such as EducationDynamics’ eLearning Index Web App, serve as a powerful resource. The Web App, developed by EducationDynamics’ Market Research team, utilizes current National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) data, to showcase an accurate view of the current labor market and relevant trends regarding degree completions. Administrators can use the app’s interactive features to isolate the data by region, modality and program. By providing insights into the highest opportunity programs available for each educational level and a convenient user interface, the eLearning Index Web App tool empowers schools to optimize their program offerings, ensuring that they are offering degrees that are relevant to Modern Learners. Through aligning programs with high-growth career opportunities, institutions can not only boost retention but also empower students with the skills and support they need to thrive in the current job market.
4. Nurture Leads and Personalize the Journey
Modern Learners often research extensively before finalizing their enrollment decision, seeking personalized and relevant information at every stage. Building relationships early and maintaining engagement over time is essential, whether you’re connecting with prospective students for the first time, re-engaging stopped-out students, or reconnecting with dormant inquiries.
Effective lead nurturing helps institutions build these relationships through tailored content that addresses the specific needs and interests of each student. Consistent communication guides students through their decision-making journey, ensuring they feel supported.
Marketing automation can help streamline these efforts. Through automation of communication workflows, institutions can deliver timely and personalized messaging that resonates with students. This level of personalization and consideration throughout multiple touchpoints in the student journey improves overall engagement and student experiences.
At EducationDynamics, our Nurturing Services offer institutions multi-channel engagement, using best-in-class marketing automation technology. By delivering personalized communications across various platforms, we help schools strengthen connections with students at every stage of their journey.
5. Provide 24/7 Support with AI Chatbots
As institutions seek to attract and enroll the Modern Learner, implementing AI Chatbots serves as a key tool by delivering real-time assistance and tailored responses to common student inquiries. Prospective students frequently encounter obstacles when searching for relevant information during their enrollment journey. With Modern Learners expecting immediate access to information, these challenges can lead to a frustrating experience, potentially impeding their enrollment decision. Employing AI Chatbots can help address this, through instant responses that answer commonly asked questions regarding program details, financial aid and academic support at any time of day. These chatbots not only help manage routine tasks, but they also allow admissions staff to focus on the more complex, high-touch interactions. By incorporating AI Chatbots into your institution’s communication strategy, you enhance student support and ensure that every inquiry receives proper, timely attention.
6. Showcase Your Innovative Spirit
Standing out amid the competitive higher education landscape is vital for attracting Modern Learners, who seek educational opportunities that align with their evolving needs and aspirations. Today’s students are not merely seeking to fulfill degree requirements; they are looking for an education that resonates with their interests and provides long-term growth opportunities. This is where innovation can play a vital role. By highlighting your university’s unique offerings and distinct culture, you can offer Modern Learners attractive reasons to choose your school, while demonstrating how you are adapting to meet the growing demands of Modern Learners.
At EducationDynamics’ Higher Ed Marketing Agency, our team of experts understand the importance of showcasing each institution’s unique selling points and innovative approaches within the higher education space. Our services are designed to communicate the value of choosing your school, whether it’s through digital campaigns, social media content, or compelling copywriting. We empower you to emphasize your distinct strengths, enabling your institution to foster deeper connections with Modern Learners and guide them towards enrollment.
7. Create a Seamless Student Journey
The traditional, linear student journey no longer applies to today’s Modern Learners. With various commitments, such as family and work responsibilities, modern students engage with their educational environment in different ways than in years past. As a result, institutions need to adjust how they approach the student journey. By implementing student journey mapping, institutions can better understand the various stages of the student experience and refine it to reduce pain points.
EducationDynamics’ student journey mapping process provides institutions with actionable insights to optimize every stage of the student experience, from inquiry to enrollment. The process begins with a comprehensive analysis of your current student recruitment and services, including existing marketing materials, communication technology and student support systems. Using data-driven insights, we then create a visual student journey map that identifies key touch points and opportunities to enhance communication. From there, we develop a communication plan with targeted messaging and content designed to nurture, guide and support students across their enrollment journey. By integrating student journey mapping, institutions can better visualize the Modern Learner’s journey, while meeting their evolving needs.
8. Invest in Financial Aid Support
Financial aid is among the first pieces of information students seek and often plays a pivotal role in their enrollment decision. Equipping your institution’s advising team with the tools to engage in financial aid conversations early in the student journey is critical to meeting the expectations of Modern Learners and encouraging them to choose your institution over another.
EducationDynamics’ Financial Aid Advising services offer personalized support through dedicated coaches who manage student inquiries and provide individualized guidance. This streamlined approach allows your admissions team to focus on key priorities, while ensuring students receive the financial aid support they need. By delivering clear answers and a supportive experience, students are more likely to enroll, resulting in higher enrollment and retention rates.
9. Streamline Your CRM and Marketing Data Integration
A robust Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system is essential for navigating the Modern Learner’s enrollment journey. By collecting and managing student data, CRMs promote personalized communication that resonates with students. To truly maximize their potential, CRM systems should be optimized through technology integration, data quality assessments and user adoption, ensuring they effectively reach Modern Learners while driving scalable enrollment growth.
EducationDynamics recognizes the importance of an integrated CRM system. Our team of integration experts specialize in implementing and maintaining clean, actionable data that supports a cohesive strategy, giving your institution a holistic overview of each student and ensuring your CRM is built for long-term success.
10. Optimize Your Enrollment Team
As the primary point of contact for prospective students, your enrollment team is one of the most critical investments you can make. The expertise and engagement of your enrollment staff directly influences prospective students’ decisions, making them essential to student success outcomes.
At EducationDynamics, we believe in empowering both institutions and students by investing in staff development. Through our The U School platform, institutions can access exclusive 8-week programs designed to equip your team with the skills needed to meet the unique demands of Modern Learners. By strengthening staff training, we help build more effective enrollment pathways, ultimately increasing student engagement, satisfaction and enrollment growth.
Empowering Your Institution to Engage Modern Learners
Attracting and enrolling Modern Learners requires a comprehensive approach that acknowledges their unique needs and preferences. By implementing the ten key strategies outlined in this article, higher education institutions can engage a new demographic of learners while nurturing meaningful connections with students. Embracing innovative solutions like student journey mapping and leveraging available resources allows institutions to transform the student experience. As the higher education environment continues to change and enrollment challenges arise due to shifting economic and demographic factors, institutions who proactively understand and cater to the unique needs of Modern Learners will differentiate themselves from the competition. As your strategic partner, EDDY is committed to empowering your institution to confidently navigate these challenges while collectively advancing our mission to expand opportunity through education.
