Last year witnessed a notable surge in the enrollment of international students at US universities, marking a recovery from the pandemic-induced decline. A study, released on Monday, revealed a substantial 35% increase in students arriving from India, contributing significantly to the overall growth of international student numbers in the United States during the 2022-23 academic year.
There was a remarkable 12% rise in the total number of international students, representing the largest single-year increase in over four decades. The total exceeded one million students from abroad, reaching the highest level since the 2019-20 school year, according to data from the State Department and the nonprofit Institute of International Education.
“This reinforces that the US remains the destination of choice for international students wishing to study abroad, as it has been for more than a century,” Allan E. Goodman, CEO, Institute of International Education, said.
American universities enrolled close to 269,000 students from India, a record number and second only to students from China. The majority of these students pursued graduate programs, particularly in the fields of science, technology, and business, according to an official statement.
Despite China maintaining the highest number of foreign students in the US with 290,000, its figures experienced a third consecutive year of decline. This trend reflects a gradual shift, as interest from China has waned due to strained international relations, heightened competition from universities in the United Kingdom and Canada, and prolonged travel restrictions in Asia during the pandemic, according to the study.
In response to changing dynamics, US universities have intensified efforts to recruit students from India, capitalizing on the growing population projected to surpass China’s this year. The study revealed that students from India now outnumber those from China in 24 US states, including Illinois, Texas, and Michigan, which are among the top destinations for international students.
For the second consecutive year, graduate programmes in the US proved to be the primary attraction for international students, experiencing a notable 21% increase in enrollment, while undergraduate numbers saw a modest 1% uptick. This shift contrasts with the previous decade, which witnessed a larger influx of undergraduate students, as per the study.
The growth in international enrollment was particularly attributed to math and computer science programs, witnessing a 20% boost in enrollment over the previous year. Engineering and business programs followed closely behind, collectively representing more than half of all international students in the US.
This surge nearly restored international student numbers to their pre-pandemic highs, approaching the peak of almost 1.1 million students in 2018. The rebound seems to be ongoing, with an 8% increase in international enrollment reported for the current fall semester, according to a smaller survey providing a snapshot of recent trends, the study reveals.
While the influx of international students is on the rise, many US colleges are grappling with challenges in attracting domestic students. Total enrollment across all colleges has remained in a slump following pandemic-related decreases, with freshman enrollment experiencing a 3.6% decline in the fall of 2023, according to a separate study by the National Student Clearinghouse, it added.
With inputs from PTI.