United States is a popular destination for international students. This can include primary, secondary and post-secondary students. Studying abroad is determined in the United States by political rationales of national security and foreign policy. [1] The number of students studying abroad represents only about 1% of all students enrolled at institutions of higher education in the United States. [2]
Due to COVID-19 and the restrictions, there was a significant drop of 72% for new international students enrolling to schools in US compared to 2019. [3]
Education and expenses for the students primarily comes from personal or family source, foreign government, or overseas sponsors. [4] The decline in influx of the international students coming to US has caused an economic loss of $1.17 billion to United States. [5]
 | This section needs to be updated.(February 2024) |
| Rank | Place of origin | Number of students | Students per million of home country's population | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  China | 289,000 | 33.7% | 262 |
| 2 |  India | 268,014 | 18.4% | 144 |
| 3 |  South Korea | 52,250 | 4.8% | 1011 |
| 4 |  Saudi Arabia | 37,080 | 3.4% | 1030 |
| 5 |  Canada | 26,122 | 2.4% | 687 |
| 6 |  Vietnam | 24,392 | 2.2% | 251 |
| 7 |  Taiwan | 23,369 | 2.1% | 990 |
| 8 |  Japan | 18,105 | 1.7% | 144 |
| 9 |  Brazil | 16,059 | 1.5% | 75 |
| 10 |  Mexico | 15,229 | 1.4% | 120 |
| 11 |  Nigeria | 13,423 | 1.2% | 63 |
| 12 |  Pakistan | 13,229 | 1.2% | 441 |
| 13 |  Iran | 12,142 | 1.1% | 138 |
| 14 |  United Kingdom | 11,146 | 1.0% | 166 |
| 15 |  Turkey | 10,159 | 0.9% | 120 |
In 1978, President Jimmy Carter approved virtually unlimited access by Chinese students and academics to the United States, provided that the costs were not paid by the United States. [8] : 92 Coming during the visit by Frank Press to China in July of that year, the decision to handle educational exchanges in this manner pre-dated the normalization of People's Republic of China-United States relations. [8] : 92
In China, study abroad in United States is increasingly popular. Many students carry on the purpose of acquiring higher and better education in American universities. Chinese students prefer to study in the US because US education focuses on quality education instead of quantity education followed by Chinese system. According to Kun and David (2010), "Traditional Chinese culture places well-educated scholars in the highest social rank. Academic achievement is also an honour to the family. Dedication to scholarship becomes not only a personal goal but also a culture goal for Chinese international students." Students from wealthy and middle-class families can fund their education and bear the expense of visa and education in the US. [9]
As of 2022, China was by far the largest source of students studying abroad in the United States. [10] : 142 As of that year more than 370,000 tertiary-level students from China were studying in American colleges and universities. [8] : 92–93
The number of Indian students in the United States grew from 148,360 in March 2015 to 194,438 in March 2016, a jump of 31.1%, according to the latest 'SEVIS by the Numbers' report. [11] This is second only to China. Indian students contributed $5.01 billion to the US economy in 2015–16 according to the Open Doors data 2016. [12]
As per Opendoor's’ 2021 report, India is the second most common place of origin for international students in the United States while ranking at 22 as a study abroad destination for U.S. students. According to a report by the Bureau of Economic Analysis, these international students in 2020 had an economic impact of approximately $6.2 billion. The total number of international students from India in the years 2018-2019 and 2019-2020 were 202,014 and 193,124 respectively. This number dropped by 13.2% for the year 2020–2021. [13] In the academic years 2019-2020 and 2020–2021, the applicants in the Graduate and OPT academic level were approximately equal and about 85% of total international students from India. Approximately 14% applied at the undergraduate level while non-degree applicants were the lowest at 1% or less. [14]
The vast majority of international students from India enrolling for study programs choose STEM field. According to OpenDoors’ 2021 report classifying field of study by place of origin, out of the total 167,582 Indian applicants, 33.5% chose to pursue Engineering while 34.8% chose Math or Computer Science as their field of study. Business and Management studies followed far behind at 11.7%. [15]
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A scholarship is a form of financial aid awarded to students for further education. Generally, scholarships are awarded based on a set of criteria such as academic merit, diversity and inclusion, athletic skill, and financial need, research experience or specific professional experience.
International students, or foreign students, are students who undertake all or part of their tertiary education in a country other than their own.
The Fulbright Program, including the Fulbright–Hays Program, is one of several United States Cultural Exchange Programs with the goal of improving intercultural relations, cultural diplomacy, and intercultural competence between the people of the United States and other countries through the exchange of persons, knowledge, and skills. Via the program, competitively-selected American citizens including students, scholars, teachers, professionals, scientists, and artists may receive scholarships or grants to study, conduct research, teach, or exercise their talents abroad; and citizens of other countries may qualify to do the same in the United States.
Some students from the United States pursue educational opportunities outside the United States. This can include primary, secondary and post-secondary students.
International education refers to a dynamic concept that involves a journey or movement of people, minds, or ideas across political and cultural frontiers. It is facilitated by the globalization phenomenon, which increasingly erases the constraints of geography on economic, social, and cultural arrangements. The concept involves a broad range of learning, for example, formal education and informal learning. It could also involve a reorientation of academic outlook such as the pursuit of "worldmindedness" as a goal so that a school or its academic focus is considered international. For example, the National Association of State Universities prescribes the adoption of "proper education" that reflects the full range of international, social, political, cultural, and economic dialogue. International educators are responsible for "designing, managing, and facilitating programs and activities that help participants to appropriately, effectively, and ethically engage in interactions with culturally diverse people and ideas."
In the United States, Optional Practical Training (OPT) is a period during which undergraduate and graduate students with F-1 status who have completed or have been pursuing their degrees for one academic year are permitted by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to work for one year on a student visa towards getting practical training to complement their education. Foreign students currently enrolled at a U.S. university can receive full-time or part-time work authorization through Curricular Practical Training. In 2022, there were 171,635 OPT employment authorizations. In 2021, there were 115,651 new non-STEM OPT authorizations, a 105% increase from a decade ago.
In the United States, the F visas are a type of non-immigrant student visa that allows foreigners to pursue education in the United States. F-1 students must maintain a full course of study. F-1 visas are only issued in U.S. embassies and consulates, although extensions of stay and changes of status may be possible within the United States. Prospective F-1 students must apply at the schools and receive a form I-20 in order to apply for an F-1 visa. F-1 students must show that they are able to support themselves during their stay in the U.S., as their opportunities for legal employment are quite limited. F-2 visas are given to dependents of an F-1 student. F-2 visa-holders are prohibited from any form of compensated employment. However, minor children may attend public schools. Finally, the F-3 visa is issued to Canadians and Mexicans who commute across the border to attend American schools.
Higher education in China is the largest in the world. By the end of 2021, there were over 3,000 colleges and universities, with over 44.3 million students enrolled in mainland China and 240 million Chinese citizens having received high education. The system includes Bachelors, Masters and Doctoral degrees, as well as non-degree programs, and is also open to foreign students.
The Institute of International Education (IIE) is a 501(c) organization that focuses on international student exchange and aid, foreign affairs, and international peace and security. IIE creates programs of study and training for students, educators, and professionals from various sectors. The organization says its mission is to "build more peaceful and equitable societies by advancing scholarship, building economies, and promoting access to opportunity".
NAFSA: Association of International Educators is a non-profit professional organization for professionals in all areas of international education including education abroad advising and administration, international student advising, campus internationalization, admissions, outreach, overseas advising, and English as a Second Language (ESL) administration. As of 2010, it served approximately 10,000 educators worldwide, representing nearly 3,000 higher education institutions.
Work abroad is the term used when a student teaches, interns, or volunteers in a foreign country through a programme. Students gain work experience while being immersed in a foreign work environment, though the position may be paid or unpaid. Dependent upon the programme, a student working abroad may live in a dormitory or apartment with other students or with a "host family", a group of people who live in that country and agree to provide student lodging.
University Center for International Studies (UCIS), the first center of its kind when created in 1968, provides a university-wide integration of international scholarship at the University of Pittsburgh. This center provides a university-wide framework for students, faculty, other scholars who have an interest in international studies. UCIS encompasses centers for area studies and centers on topical specializations in international studies. It coordinates international education curricula and provides support services such as the Study Abroad Program, which helps students study abroad during their college experience. It does not offer degrees but awards certificates of attainment to degree candidates in the university's schools. Carl Beck served as the first director of the UCIS.
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The Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program is a United States Department of State cultural and educational exchange program which offers approximately 500 undergraduate or graduate level students from the United States the opportunity to participate in an intensive language study abroad. This nationally competitive program funds students who study one of the 15 critical need foreign languages, and is part of the National Security Language Initiative. The 15 critical languages include Arabic, Azerbaijani, Bengali, Chinese, Hindi, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Persian, Portuguese, Punjabi, Russian, Swahili, Turkish and Urdu. With an acceptance rate of less than 10%, the Critical Language Scholarship is one of the most competitive scholarships in the U.S. and the most prestigious language program for U.S. citizens.
The US–China Education Trust is a non-profit organization based in Washington D.C. Founded in 1998 by Ambassador Julia Chang Bloch, the first Chinese-American U.S. Ambassador, USCET seeks to promote China–United States relations through a series of education and exchange programs. The organization sponsors a variety of fellowships, conferences, workshops and exchanges, focused primarily on strengthening Chinese academic institutions related to the fields of American Studies, Media and Journalism, American Governance, and International Relations.
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William L. Gertz is the Chairman, President and CEO of the American Institute For Foreign Study (AIFS), a cultural exchange and educational travel company with 10 global locations, headquartered in Stamford, CT.
The United Kingdom is among the world's most popular destinations for international students, regularly placing within the top three countries for hosting international students alongside the United States and Australia. Data from the Higher Education Statistics Agency indicates that students from the three countries of China, India, and Nigeria together account for just under 48% of all international students enrolled at higher education institutions in the UK.
BUNAC is an organisation that enables people to explore the world through work abroad and travel programmes. After starting as a not-for-profit members Club, it was taken over by Bunac Travel Services Ltd which was acquired by STA Travel in 2011. The 'BUNAC' brand and all associated work and volunteer abroad programme brand names are now owned by STA Travel. Previously, the company was owned by the non-profit British Universities North America Club in order to provide work and volunteer programmes for their members. Due to this, the term 'BUNAC' now refers exclusively to STA Travel owned products, and not the non-profit Club.
The American Embassy School (AES), New Delhi, India, is an independent, co-educational day school that offers an educational program from pre-kindergarten through Grade 12. The school is not run by the U.S. Embassy, and its student body represents more than 60 nationalities. The school was reported in 2014 to be one of the most elite in Delhi. It is adjacent to the Embassy of the United States in the city's Chanakyapuri diplomatic enclave.