TORONTO, Canada: Harvard University and the University of Toronto have created a backup plan to ensure Harvard graduate students continue their studies in Canada if they can't return to the U.S. due to visa problems.

This is the first such international backup announced after the U.S. Department of Homeland Security recently tried to stop Harvard from enrolling international students. A federal judge later blocked that decision.

The plan is aimed at students from Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government who may not be able to return to the U.S. They will have the option to study at the University of Toronto's Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy as visiting students.

According to a statement from the deans of both schools, the program would include courses taught by faculty from both Harvard and Toronto.

These plans are being shared now to give students clarity, but they will only go ahead if enough students are affected by visa or travel issues.

"With this plan, the Kennedy School can still offer a world-class public policy education, even if some students can't be on campus this year," said Harvard Kennedy School Dean Jeremy Weinstein.

The option will be open to international students who have already completed one year at Harvard's campus in the U.S.

The Trump administration has previously threatened to cut federal research funding to Harvard. Officials have accused the university of failing to deal with antisemitism, campus violence, and of working with foreign organizations—especially China—in ways that may threaten U.S. national security.

According to Harvard's media office, 52 percent of Kennedy School students over the past five years have been from outside the U.S. Currently, the school has 739 students from 92 countries in programs focused on public policy and government leadership.