The Pentagon marked 33 universities as 'moderate' or 'high' risk. Here are the schools on the leaked list.

Harvard was marked as "fully off limits," while 33 other schools were marked as risks. Prospective students were told to have a "backup plan."

  • The Pentagon flagged 33 universities as risky for military education programs, per an internal Army email.
  • The Defense Department has cut ties with Harvard, which the email identified as "fully off limits."
  • No criteria were provided for risk assessments.

The Pentagon is rethinking its ties with dozens of universities, which could affect tuition assistance and other programs for military students.

The Department of Defense severed its ties with Harvard University earlier this month, sharing that it was reviewing other schools as well. The Pentagon hasn't publicly identified the additional schools under review.

An internal US Army email that leaked last week offers some indication: the message lists 33 private universities that the Pentagon had labeled as "moderate" to "high" risk. The email did not explain what classifies a school as a risk.

Prospective military students should have a "backup plan" in case the Pentagon cuts ties with these schools, the email said.

Screenshots of the message circulated online last week, catching many people by surprise. Universities, professors, and service members told Business Insider they felt blindsided.

The internal email identified Harvard as "fully off limits" to service members pursuing higher education through Department of Defense-funded programs. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has called Harvard "one of the red-hot centers of Hate America activism" and said the Pentagon will not work with the university on professional military education programs and fellowships.

An Army spokesperson told Business Insider the Defense Department is reviewing other schools beyond Harvard, but no further decisions have been made.

The list, which a defense official told Business Insider remains "up in the air," contains Ivy League schools and other prominent institutions, as well as some lesser-known universities. Public schools are under review as well, an email said, though those schools were not listed.

High-performing troops can apply to such institutions through competitive selection processes to become military attorneys or level up in fields relevant to other specialty military jobs. Degree programs might include law degrees, MBAs, supply chain degrees, or education in international relations and STEM fields.

Here's the full list of schools included in the Army email:

American University

Boston College

Boston University

Brown University

Carnegie Mellon University

Case Western Reserve University

College of William & Mary

Columbia University

Cornell University

Duke University

Emory University

Florida Institute of Technology

Fordham University

George Washington University

Georgetown University

Hawaii Pacific University

Johns Hopkins University

London School of Economics

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

New York University

Northeastern University

Northwestern University

Pepperdine University

Princeton University

Stanford University

Tufts University

University of Miami

University of Pennsylvania

University of Southern California

Vanderbilt University

Wake Forest University

Washington University in St. Louis

Yale University

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