The number of international students enrolled in U.S. universities and colleges was down 2.1% in ... [+]
The number of international students enrolled in U.S. universities declined again in 2018-19, extending the slide in enrolled international students to a second year in a row. That’s one of the main takeaways from the 2019 Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange, which was released today by the Institute of International Education (IIE) and the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
Decreased enrollment was seen at every level of student. The total number of internationals in undergraduate programs declined by 2.4% to 431,930. The number in graduate programs was down by 1.3% to 377,943. And the number in non-degree programs (usually English as a second language instruction) dropped 5% to 62,341.
Although the total number of international students in the U.S. hit an all-time high of 1,095,299, that figure includes 223,085 STEM students who are now allowed to remain in the country on their student visas for up to 36 months after the completion of their studies. Without these students, participating in what is called Optional Practical Training (OPT), the actual number of international students enrolled in institutions was down 2.1% from 2017-18, a decrease from 891,330 to 872,214.
International enrollment was up 1.2% at doctoral universities and 2.1% at baccalaureate institutions. Conversely, international enrollments were down 1.3% at masters-level colleges and a dramatic 8.3% at associate-level schools.
The number of newly enrolled international students also decreased for a third straight year. Of some comfort was that this year’s .9% drop was smaller than that seen in 2017-18 (6.6%) and 2016-17 (3.3%).
For the tenth year in a row, China sent the most students to U.S. institutions. Rounding out the top five sending countries were India, South Korea, Saudi Arabia and Canada. Among the top five sending countries, China, India and Canada saw increases in the total number of students in the U.S. (including the OPT group), while South Korea and Saudia Arabia decreased. The Saudi decline of 16.5% was the largest of any sending country, and is probably accounted for by the fact that the Saudis have cut back on their study-abroad subsidies.
Engineering remained the most popular field of study for international students, with one out of five picking it for their concentration. Over half of all international students in the U.S. majored in a STEM field last year, and math and computer science saw a particularly big leap of 9.4%, moving ahead of business and management as the second largest field of study.
Thanks to the OPT increase, it’s possible to put a positive spin on the latest international numbers, as we see with this comment accompanying the IEE press release: “We are happy to see the continued growth in the number of international students in the United States and U.S. students studying abroad,” said Marie Royce, Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs.
Nonetheless, the increase masks the reality that will concern U.S. institutions - they have once again attracted a shrinking number of international students. Pinpointing the causes of this drop are difficult because there are a number of likely suspects. Anti-immigrant rhetoric and extended trade wars, which international students and their families can observe almost daily from the White House, no doubt contributes to the slide. But so too do the increases in competition for the international market from excellent universities in other countries like Australia and Canada, joined with the perception of U.S. colleges as becoming too expensive as an alternative. Finally, sending countries are also strengthening their home institutions leading more students to stay at home for their college education.
Whatever the reasons, U.S. institutions know the importance of international students - accounting for 5% of total enrollments - to both their fiscal bottom line and their academic reputations. Although the 2018-19 numbers do not portend a crisis, they do signal that work needs to be done in maintaining or restoring the reputation of U.S. colleges as affordable, welcoming, and high-quality places for study.
2019-11-18 13:02:19Z
https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaeltnietzel/2019/11/18/international-student-enrollment-down-again-at-us-universities/
52780440001468
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "International Student Enrollment Down Again At U.S. Universities - Forbes"
Post a Comment