Harvard Sees Decline in Black, Latino, and International Enrollees

(HARVARD UNIVERSITY, MASSACHUSETTS) Harvard University’s incoming Class of 2029 shows a clear enrollment decline among Black, Latino, and international students compared with the prior year, according to institutional data released in October 2025. The shifts stand out at a time when U.S. colleges face major legal and political changes to admissions and diversity policy.

At Harvard, the percentage of Black students fell to 12% from 14%, Latino students dropped to 11% from 16%, and international students declined to 15% from a range of 16–18% a year earlier. At the same time, Asian American enrollment rose to 41%, up from 37%. The figures signal a new chapter for one of the most selective schools in the United States 🇺🇸, and they mirror a wider pattern several selective peers have reported since the end of race-conscious admissions.

Key classwide figures and context

• Black students: 12% (down from 14%)
• Latino students: 11% (down from 16%)
• Asian American students: 41% (up from 37%)
• International students (freshman): 15% (down from 16–18%)
• First-generation students: 20%
• Students from: all 50 states and 92 countries
• Declined to report race: about 8%
• Acceptance rate: 3.6%
• Overall applications: down 5%
• Early applications: down 17%

Harvard did not publish White student data this cycle. The university emphasized geographic reach and first-generation representation even as the freshman class composition drew close attention from students, alumni, and prospective families. These figures also follow two years of falling application volume and a growing national debate over admissions practices.

Immediate legal and policy backdrop

The Supreme Court’s 2023 ruling in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard ended the use of race as a factor in college admissions nationwide. The impact was visible in the first full cycle afterward.

• Year-over-year changes reported by Harvard:
  • Black enrollment: down 2 percentage points
  • Latino enrollment: down 5 percentage points
  • International share: down 1–3 percentage points
  • Asian American share: up to a historic 41%

Admissions experts caution it may take several years for these numbers to settle, but the early results show meaningful change from one class to the next.

Federal pressure and Harvard’s legal response

In 2025, Harvard faced intensified scrutiny from the federal government under President Trump. Officials demanded changes related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), including:

• Dismantling the DEI office
• Capping international student admissions
• Handing over detailed data on foreign enrollees

Federal officials threatened severe penalties — including loss of federal research funding, loss of certification to enroll international students, and loss of tax-exempt status — if Harvard did not comply. The university rejected those demands and filed suit in April 2025 after more than $2 billion in federal grants were frozen. Harvard’s complaint argues the federal actions are politically driven and unconstitutional. That case remained pending as of late October 2025.

Federal scrutiny at times targeted international enrollment directly; on one occasion, the administration temporarily barred Harvard from enrolling international students, citing concerns related to antisemitism. It is unclear how long such steps would last or how they would be applied across terms.

International students and visas

For families abroad, visa and immigration questions are central. Harvard reported only eight international students deferred admission this year despite reports of visa delays. That small number suggests broader political and policy factors — rather than visa logistics alone — may have played a larger role in the freshman enrollment decline.

• For official visa guidance, see the U.S. Department of State student visa page: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/study/student-visa.html

Admissions trends and campus makeup

By the numbers, Harvard’s Class of 2029 represents a complicated picture:

• Applications: -5% overall; -17% early round
• Acceptance rate: 3.6%
• Racial/ethnic/international breakdown: Black 12%, Latino 11%, Asian American 41%, International 15%
• Declined to report: ~8%
• First-generation: 20%

Some advocates propose race-neutral steps to try to maintain diversity, including:

• Extending test-optional policies
• Ending legacy preferences
• Emphasizing socioeconomic and geographic outreach

Admissions experts urge caution about drawing conclusions from a single year while the legal and political environment remains in flux.

Wider higher-education context

Selective institutions across the country are responding differently to the ban on race-conscious admissions and to federal scrutiny. Reported patterns include:

• steep declines in Black freshmen at places like MIT, Tufts, and Amherst
• smaller changes at Yale and Princeton
• a broader trend toward using socioeconomic and geographic signals in place of race

VisaVerge.com’s analysis notes elite schools increasingly use socioeconomic and geographic indicators to identify diverse applicants without using race, and that international enrollment decisions can be sensitive to public statements by government leaders.

Two historical points to frame the moment

1. While freshman international share fell to 15%, Harvard’s total international enrollment across all programs reached a record 27% (6,793 students) in 2024–25 (up from 20% in 2006–07). This suggests the freshman dip may be concentrated at the college level rather than across the university.
2. Asian American enrollment climbing to 41% is a historic peak, continuing a long-term trend. Meanwhile, the fall in Black and Latino shares is one of the sharpest since the end of race-conscious admissions.

Implications for campus life and research

• A lower share of Black and Latino students can reduce peer networks, mentorship opportunities, and representation in seminars, dorms, and student organizations.
• A higher share of Asian American students may change the makeup of affinity spaces and student-led groups.
• Frozen federal grants (over $2 billion) create uncertainty for labs and research hiring; threats to visa certification could disrupt future international student and researcher flow.

What Harvard can still do (race-neutral levers)

Possible steps the university can take without reintroducing race include:

• Adjust how personal essays and hardship descriptions are evaluated
• Expand recruiting in underrepresented public schools and regions
• Reconsider legacy preferences
• Build need-based aid to make offers financially realistic

None are quick fixes, but they represent the tools available under current legal constraints.

Guidance for applicants and families

• Focus on controllable elements: academic strength, clear and honest essays, and strong recommendations.
• International applicants should plan early for visa interviews, check passport validity, and prepare financial documentation.
• Official visa information and interview steps: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/study/student-visa.html

Campus response and near-term outlook

Student groups, faculty, and administrators are likely to press for actions to address the Black and Latino enrollment decline, protect support programs for first-generation and low-income students, and ensure clear communication about international student policies. Harvard’s leadership must balance these campus needs with court orders and federal agency directives while keeping academic standards high.

As of October 24, 2025, three points are clear:

1) Race-conscious admissions remain barred nationwide.
2) Federal pressure on DEI programs and international admissions caps continues, with Harvard contesting those steps in court.
3) Visa rules are under heightened review, but there is no across-the-board ban on international students.

Harvard’s Class of 2029 is a snapshot of a turning point: a class built under new legal rules and federal scrutiny. The numbers — Black 12%, Latino 11%, Asian American 41%, international 15%, first-generation 20% — will serve as benchmarks in the debate ahead. Whether these benchmarks shift back toward prior levels or establish a new baseline will depend on court outcomes, federal policy choices, and how Harvard shapes its next admissions cycle.

For now, the data show a clear enrollment decline among key groups in the Class of 2029, and a campus preparing for another year of change.