If the Trump administration succeeds in barring international students from enrolling at Harvard, it will benefit U.S. competitors such as China, experts say.

The Trump administration has barred Harvard from allowing international students to enroll at the university, after the school lost its ability to use the Student and Exchange Visitor Program. The SEVP program allows for noncitizens to study at the university under a specific visa.

The U.S. State Department ordered all its consular missions overseas to begin additional vetting of visa applicants looking to travel to Harvard University for any purpose, according to an internal cable seen by Reuters on Friday,