An Indian student at Harvard University is feeling scared and uncertain about her future. The reason? A new decision by Donald Trump's administration. The U.S. government has temporarily banned Harvard University from accepting international students. This news has come as a huge shock to students from other countries, including India.
One such student is 33-year-old Shreya Mishra Reddy. She is almost done with her course at Harvard and was preparing to attend her final module on campus. But when she heard the news about the ban, she felt completely numb.
Shreya told Business Insider that she was at home, in the middle of a meeting, when the news popped up on her phone. She read that Harvard was banned from accepting international students. She was supposed to travel to Boston in July. Her plane tickets were already booked. But now, she fears she may not be allowed to enter the campus again.
Shreya comes from India and moved to the U.S. in 2021. She first went to Duke University to study for a master's degree. After completing that, she got a job at Visa in Austin, Texas. But she wanted to learn more. While searching for more study options, she found an executive MBA-like program at Harvard. She applied, thinking she may not be selected. But to her surprise and joy, she got in.
She described it as one of the happiest moments of her life. She went from being a first-generation immigrant to becoming a student at one of the world’s top universities. Her parents were also extremely happy when they heard the news of her admission.
But all of this happiness has now turned into uncertainty. After the Trump administration’s decision, Shreya is unsure if she will be able to finish her studies at Harvard. She even texted her father back in India, saying, “I don’t know if I will be allowed back on campus. I’m really worried.”
Shreya had taken a $50,000 loan to cover her tuition fees. She was supposed to travel soon to finish her final part of the course. But now, she doesn't know if that will happen. She has written to Harvard University to get answers about her situation but hasn’t heard back yet.
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Shreya shared that getting into Harvard was not just about earning a degree. For her, it was a dream. It represented everything she had worked so hard for. She does not think she can get the same kind of education anywhere else.
Right now, she is living in the U.S. on an OPT (Optional Practical Training) visa, which allows students to work after finishing their studies. Her visa will expire in January. She had applied for an H-1B work visa, but she was not selected. So she may have to leave the U.S. in a few months. She says, “I don’t know where I’ll go or what I’ll do. Everything is up in the air now.”
In a post on LinkedIn, Shreya shared her concerns with others. She wrote, “No matter where you are, you know the headlines: Harvard barred from accepting international students. But headlines don’t show how this affects us—the thousands of international students currently living, studying, and striving here.”
She pointed out that about 27% of Harvard’s students are from other countries. Many of them are now facing the same confusion and stress that she is.
This situation began after the Trump administration tried to block Harvard from enrolling students from abroad. The move created a storm of criticism. People felt that it was unfair and harmful to international students who had already invested time and money in their studies.
Harvard University responded strongly. The prestigious school took legal action and sued the Trump administration. As a result, a judge in Boston, Allison D. Burroughs, issued a temporary restraining order. This stopped the government from cancelling the legal status of international students—for now.
This legal order gives some hope to affected students like Shreya. But the future remains uncertain. Will the ban be lifted permanently? Will students be allowed to complete their studies? These are the questions that still have no clear answers.
For now, students like Shreya can only wait and hope for a positive outcome. Their dreams and future plans are hanging in the balance because of a policy decision that has impacted thousands of international students.
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