International Student Numbers in U.S. Show Fastest Growth in 40 Years | Best Global Universities

The U.S. remains the top choice for students seeking higher education abroad. The country hosted more than a million international college students during the 2022-2023 academic year, according to data from the latest Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange.

The numbers mark an almost 12% jump from the previous year, and the fastest growth rate in more than 40 years.

New international student enrollment surged by 14% in 2022-2023, on top of the 80% increase the prior year, per the 2023 report, released by the Institute of International Education and the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

“Students from around the world are continuing to recognize the United States’ global leadership in higher education, ranging from two-year community colleges to four-year universities and beyond,” says Lee Satterfield, assistant secretary of state for Educational and Cultural Affairs.

“With nearly 4,000 accredited institutions of higher education in the United States in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., there is plenty of capacity to increase international study here, and the U.S. government and American colleges and universities are eager to welcome them,” Satterfield says. “There’s something for everyone – whether learning a trade or pursuing a degree in technology.”

Mirka Martel, IIE’s head of research, evaluation and learning, says the new international student enrollment of 298,523 exceeded the pre-pandemic level of 268,000 in the 2019-2020 academic year and nearly reached the record high of 300,743 enrollments in the 2015-2016 academic year.

“We have been seeing a rebound of international students after the COVID-19 pandemic, however we are also seeing positive ongoing trends in many places of origin driven by ongoing outreach and recruitment by U.S. higher education institutions,” Martel says.

For the first time since the 2014-2015 academic year, enrollment rose across all degree levels and fields of study, but mainly concentrated in graduate programs, which saw a 21% increase.

New international students continue to flock to colleges and universities in every U.S. state and territory, with 48 states reporting a jump in international students. The 2022-2023 academic year saw a 35% increase in students from India, reaching 268,923.

Adarsh Khandelwal, a New Delhi-based college counselor and admissions coach, pointed to a commitment by U.S. colleges and universities to ensuring international students feel at home. “The proactive response to queries, hosting workshops and strong representation in India contributes to the U.S. being a clear leader,” he wrote in an email.

The U.S. is a significant draw for Indian students due to its top universities and cutting-edge research opportunities, says Karan Gupta, who heads Karan Gupta Consulting, an education and career consulting firm in Mumbai. In particular, fields such as engineering, computer science and business are major draws, Gupta wrote via email, adding that the “U.S. job market, especially in (the) tech and business sectors, is very attractive.”

Some 166,000 Indian students are pursuing master’s degrees or other advanced credentials in the U.S., especially at colleges in California, New York, Texas, Massachusetts and Illinois. India is the second-largest sender of students to the U.S., after China.

“In the next three years I am confident that we will surpass China and are looking to double from the current number due to popularity,” Khandelwal says.

Indian students are also among the 198,793 students that pursued Optional Practical Training (OPT), which supports students seeking practical work experience after completion of their academic studies.

“Graduating from a U.S. institution often opens doors to global career opportunities, which is a major incentive,” Gupta says. He notes that students who graduate from a U.S. college can remain in the country on their student visa and work for one year on OPT, or on STEM OPT for two extra years “without having to worry about H-1B visas.” The H-1B visa, also known as the “work visa” is an employer-sponsored temporary worker status for employment in a specialty occupation.

Ghana had more than 6,000 students at U.S. institutions in 2022-23 and joined the list of 25 countries that send the most students.

“Sub-Saharan Africa had the highest rate of growth among world regions, growing by 18%,” Martel says. “This is the first time in over a decade that two sub-Saharan African places of origin are in the top 25 and the first time that Ghana is in the top 25 places of origin.”

She notes that strong growth in U.S. enrollment was seen among many countries across Africa, such as:

“The Fall 2023 Snapshot found that many U.S. institutions are continuing to strongly recruit in the region,” Martel says. “For example, 40% of institutions noted focusing graduate recruitment in Nigeria and 75% of institutions anticipate increases in new enrollment from Nigeria in 2023-2024.”

The State Department issued more than 40,000 student visas to African students in fiscal year 2023, the most in the past decade, Satterfield observes. “In the region, we are facilitating connections between U.S. university delegations and local educators and students, and we are bringing African students into direct contact with HBCUs, community colleges, specialized graduate programs, and other entities that reflect the many opportunities available to study in the United States.”

International students came to the U.S. from more than 200 places of origin in 2022-2023. Of the 25 countries sending the most international students to the U.S., Satterfield says eight reached all-time highs: Bangladesh, Colombia, Ghana, India, Italy, Nepal, Pakistan and Spain.

The COVID-19 pandemic brought major disruptions to international education in early 2020. The number of international students in the U.S. fell from about 1,075,000 in the 2019-2020 academic year to about 914,000 the following year.

“The United States remains the number one host of international students, and we have nearly rebounded to the pre-pandemic levels of international students,” Martel says.

She says 95% of international students in 2022-2023 were physically studying on U.S. campuses, demonstrating a preference of international students to travel to study in the U.S.

“We continued to see COVID-19 restrictions affect inbound mobility from some places of origin, including China. We anticipate that as a result we may continue to see further rebounds in the future,” Martel says.

The most popular fields of study for international students in the U.S. for the academic year 2022-2023 were math and computer science; engineering; business and management; social sciences; and physical and life sciences. Experts expect interest in pursuing higher education in the U.S. to continue.

An IEE companion survey of about 630 schools shows the growth trend continuing in fall 2023, with an 8% increase in international students taking courses or participating in the work-training program in 2023-2024 compared to the previous year.

“We’re reaching international students where they are through our more than 430 EducationUSA advising centers around the world, in-person education fairs, talks and webinars from program alumni, and through outreach by U.S. higher education institutions as well,” Satterfield says.