Gov't offers loans to Taiwanese at Harvard amid Trump grant freeze: MOE

Taipei, May 28 (CNA) Taiwanese students studying at Harvard University on scholarships who are struggling with daily expenses due to a recent move by U.S. President Donald Trump to freeze federal grants to the school can apply for student loans backed by Taiwan's government, the Ministry of Education (MOE) said Wednesday.

Last month, the Trump administration froze about US$3.2 billion in grants and contracts with Harvard University, while also seeking to revoke the university's ability to enroll international students, according to a report by the New York Times on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, Li Tien-chang (李典璋), a Taiwanese student currently studying at Harvard, told CNA via phone that some laboratories have been affected by the funding freeze.

Although professors still have some remaining funds to cover expenses, it is unclear how long they will be able to continue paying salaries, which has made many researchers quite anxious, he said.

Lee also mentioned that some students admitted to Harvard have had their scholarships suspended, causing significant financial hardship.

He said that even if scholarships and teaching assistant stipends are eventually restored, students still face daily expenses for food, clothing, housing and transportation, making emergency financial assistance urgently needed.

Government-back loans

In response to the impact of Trump's actions on Taiwanese students, the MOE told CNA that eligible students -- from families with an annual income below NT$2 million (US$ 66,858) or with more than two children studying abroad -- can apply for government-backed student loans through seven designated banks in Taiwan.

The loan cap is NT$1.2 million for master's students and NT$2.4 million for doctoral students, according to information on the website of the MOE's Department of International and Cross-Strait Education.

According to the ministry, there are 52 Taiwanese students currently studying at Harvard, including those about to begin their studies at the United States' oldest university.

Fears of study suspension

Meanwhile, some Taiwanese students at Harvard expressed concern to CNA about leaving the U.S. during the summer break, fearing they may not be able to return and continue their studies due to Trump's aggressive actions targeting Harvard.

In response to the concerns, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Boston said that Harvard has filed a lawsuit challenging the Trump administration's decision, and that a federal judge has already temporarily suspended the ban on enrolling international students.

The office advised students to "stay calm" and wait for further updates and instructions from the university.

While the MOE said no Taiwanese students had been asked to leave Harvard as of Wednesday, it said that if the ban is ultimately upheld and those affected decide to return to Taiwan, there are plans for them to complete their studies.

They include contingency measures that Harvard may provide -- such as remote learning -- or transferring credits via mechanisms like credit recognition agreements with domestic universities that have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Harvard.

More challenges

In addition, U.S. news outlet Politico on Tuesday reported that the Trump administration is considering requiring all foreign students applying to study in the U.S. to undergo social media vetting, and that U.S. overseas missions have been ordered to pause the scheduling of new interviews for student visa applicants.

Lee Yu-jiuan (李毓娟), head of the MOE's Department of International and Cross-Strait Education, told a legislative hearing on Wednesday that, as far as the ministry is aware, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) had not received any instructions from the U.S. government to pause student visa interviews as of Wednesday morning.

Scheduled visa interviews for Taiwanese students are still proceeding as planned at the AIT, the de facto U.S. embassy in Taiwan in the absence of official diplomatic ties, Lee added.

In response to CNA's request for comment, an AIT spokesperson said that the Department of State's scheduling of nonimmigrant visa interview appointments is dynamic.

"An embassy or consulate's capacity reflects the time required for consular officers to adjudicate the cases before them in full compliance with U.S. law," the spokesperson noted.

Since 2019, the Department of State has required visa applicants to provide social media identifiers on immigrant and nonimmigrant visa application forms, the spokesperson said.

"We use all available information in our visa screening and vetting. All visa applicants, no matter the visa type and where they are located, are continuously vetted." the spokesperson added.

"Visa applicants may continue to submit applications," the spokesperson said, noting that consular sections constantly adjust their schedules to allow for sufficient time to fully vet the cases before them.