In the ongoing clash between Donald Trump and Harvard University, the US president criticised the top Ivy League institution for allegedly prioritising foreign students over domestic applicants. This has reignited debates about who benefits most from access to elite universities.

Harvard currently has about 6793 international students, about a quarter of its total student enrolment. While Harvard faces scrutiny for its proportion of overseas students, it’s no secret that Australia’s leading universities have long relied on international enrolments.