International Students in the United States and American Students Abroad

The number of international students studying at colleges and universities in the United States increased to a record high of more than six hundred thousand during the 2007-08 academic year, according to new findings from the Institute of International Education (IIE), a nonprofit organization. The report, Open Doors 2008: International Students in the United States, also includes findings on American students studying abroad and international scholars teaching and conducting research in the United States. “Furthering academic exchange—in both directions—is one of the best investments that we can make to strengthen U.S. higher education and research activities and foster cross-border collaboration on shared global problems such as fighting diseases, protecting the environment, and countering terrorism,” wrote IIE president Allan Goodman.

FINDINGS

International Students in the United States

• From 2006-07 to 2007-08, international student enrollment increased 7 percent overall—from 582,984 students to 623,805 students.
• New international enrollment (students enrolling in a U.S. institution for the first time) increased 10 percent in 2007-08, to 173,122 students total. New students accounted for roughly 28 percent of all international students in the United States.
• The largest percent increase by academic level came from students classified as neither undergraduate nor graduate—those classified as nondegree, intensive English, and Optional Practical Training students. The total number of students in this group increased 28.5 percent, from 80,646 to 103,603.

American Students Abroad

• The number of American students studying abroad in 2006-07 (the most recent year for which data exists) increased 8 percent from the previous year, to 241,791 from 223,534.
• The United Kingdom remained the top study abroad destination for American students in 2006-07 (32,705 studied there, up about 2 percent from the previous year.)
• Agriculture showed the largest subject-area increase for study abroad, with an increase of more than 25 percent since 2006-07. Social sciences remained the most popular study-abroad field.

International Scholars in the United States

• The most-represented field for international scholars teaching and working in the United States is the biological and biomedical sciences, composing 22 percent of the total in 2007-08.
• Harvard University hosted the most international scholars in 2007-08 (3,721), followed by Stanford (2,824) and the University of California-Berkeley (2,565).
• China sent by far the most scholars to study or work in U.S. institutions in 2007-08, (23,779 scholars), followed by India, with 9,959 scholars.  

Report highlights may be found online, and the entire report is available for order.

DID YOU KNOW?

• The number of U.S. students studying abroad has increased almost 150 percent in the past decade.
• Student interest in studying abroad in China and South Africa increased significantly between 2005-06 and 2006-07—up 25 and 28 percent, respectively.
• More students from India (94,563) studied in the United States than from any other country in 2007-08.