Uncertainty surrounds Icelandic students at Harvard after U.S. policy shift

"There is a lot of uncertainty, and people don't quite understand what lies ahead," says Sindri Freyr Ásgeirsson, vice president of the Association of Icelandic Students Abroad (SÍNE), following the U.S. administration’s decision to revoke Harvard University’s authorization to accept foreign students.

The decision, announced yesterday by President Donald Trump’s administration, has sparked confusion and concern about whether international students, including Icelanders, will be able to complete their studies and graduate from the prestigious institution. According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the change may require foreign students to transfer to other schools or face the loss of their U.S. residency status.

SÍNE urges Harvard students to reach out

Ásgeirsson says SÍNE is in contact with several Icelandic students currently at Harvard but does not have a complete overview of how many may be affected. “We are encouraging more students to get in touch with us,” he says.

"We would like to encourage students who are at Harvard to contact us — they can email sine@sine.is or reach out through our social media channels,” Ásgeirsson adds. “It’s important that we understand who is out there and what challenges people are facing so we can help as best we can.”

He notes that the academic year is mostly over, making it all the more urgent to assess what resources and options are available for those who still need to finish their degrees.

Working with Mministries to find solutions

SÍNE is coordinating with both the Ministry of Higher Education and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to provide support and advocacy for affected students.

“I encourage people to contact us, and we will try to resolve what can be resolved in collaboration with the authorities,” says Ásgeirsson.