Harvard Kennedy School cancels plan to launch online study program for international students

The Harvard Kennedy School (HKS) has cancelled its plan to launch HKS Global, an online programme for international students who cannot enter the United States, as it cited limited student demand. However, the school will continue its partnership with the University of Toronto’s Munk School for returning students, as per a report by The Harvard Crimson.

HKS had announced the contingency plan in June, at a time when the Trump administration had issued restrictions on visas and entry for international students. The plan included online classes and a visiting student programme in Canada. While the Toronto option is moving forward for a small group of returning students, the online study option has been withdrawn.

According to the report, in an email to students on Tuesday, Debra E. Isaacson, senior associate dean for degree programmes and student affairs, said, “At the anticipated levels of participation, the cohorts would have been too small and the class offerings too few to ensure the world-class HKS experience that you deserve.”


An HKS spokesperson said most international students are now expected to join the campus in Cambridge. Only a limited number will continue their studies in Toronto, where they will be enrolled as full-time Munk School students but awarded HKS degrees.

For new international students still awaiting visas, the decision leaves fewer choices. They may defer, withdraw, or in the case of mid-career MPA students, switch to Harvard’s Public Leadership Credential pathway. The school has extended the arrival deadline for some programmes to October 20 to allow more time for visa approvals.

The cancellation comes amid ongoing legal battles between Harvard and the US government. The Trump administration had earlier revoked Harvard’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program certification and issued an entry ban, prompting lawsuits and court injunctions. Although a federal judge blocked those measures, the administration has appealed and continues to pursue restrictions on foreign students.

The cancellation comes amid ongoing legal battles between Harvard and the US government.