Bard College Berlin Steps in to Admit Students Barred from Entering the United States under the Trump Administration

This fall semester, eight students from Afghanistan, Haiti, Iran, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen were admitted to Bard College Berlin after the Trump administration barred all citizens from their home countries from entering the United States. Bound to study at prestigious US universities with support from the Shelby Davis UWC Scholars Program and significant financial aid, they suddenly found themselves without any prospect of beginning their studies there. Bard College Berlin stepped in and offered them a place to enter university life in the heart of Europe, pursue rigorous coursework, and earn transferable credit points.

The Davis Scholarship provides need-based financial aid to graduates of the eighteen United World College (UWC) high schools to pursue higher education in the United States. In light of the Trump administration’s travel ban on nineteen countries and significant delays on student visa processing in the past summer, Bard College has extended the Begin in Berlin program to students from external institutions for the current academic year, allowing them to study at Bard College Berlin for their first year.

“As an Afghan girl who is not allowed to study in Afghanistan,” says Davis Scholar Mina, “I deeply value this opportunity. I dream of continuing my education and using it as a tool to build a better future.” Mina studied at UWC East Africa and was admitted to Franklin and Marshall College, where she planned to study economics before the travel ban was instated.

Ish studied at UWC Atlantic in Wales, and planned to study political science and pre-law at Case Western Reserve University before the travel ban. Now, he says, “I refuse to let a border define the boundaries of my ambition; I remain determined to move forward.”

After fleeing his home country of South Sudan in 2013 and living in a refugee settlement in Uganda, James was admitted to St. Olaf College in Minnesota, where he planned to study economics. He says, “Despite struggles of displacement, I remain determined to continue my education… My experiences from a once hopeless refugee child to finding hope through education have taught me to never take opportunities for granted.”

Turfa, another Davis Scholar from Afghanistan, is a poet and football player, opportunities that would not be acceptable as a woman in Afghanistan. She was admitted to Sarah Lawrence College before the travel ban was put into place, and now views her education at Bard College Berlin as a promise to girls in Afghanistan that she will one day stand for them and their justice. 

As an institution with a commitment to critical academic inquiry, Bard College Berlin is proud to welcome these eight accomplished students. With dual accreditation in Germany and the United States, the college is uniquely placed to offer them the opportunity to pursue rigorous and transferable coursework in the heart of Europe. 

“The students bring extraordinary experiences, perspectives, and determination to the table,” says Prof. Dr. Dorothea von Hantelmann, Acting Dean of Bard College Berlin. “Their contribution enriches our academic community and exemplifies the spirit of international solidarity and educational equity that Bard College Berlin stands for.”

Post Date: 10-21-2025