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This week, the "2024 Open Doors Report" was officially released.
This official data, published by the Institute of International Education (IIE) and the U.S. Department of State, surveyed international students at over 3,000 U.S. institutions, providing an authoritative analysis and summary of the current status and future trends of international students in the U.S.
👇Quick Takeaways👇
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The total number of international students in the U.S. has risen for three consecutive years, reaching an all-time high in the 2023/2024 academic year
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China remains a major source of international students in the U.S.
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Pursuing a master's degree in the U.S. remains the top choice for many Chinese students.
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Top 3 most popular majors for international students: Mathematics and Computer Science, Engineering, Business and Management
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NYU ranks as the most popular university for international students for 11 consecutive years
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Among the top 10 most popular U.S. universities for international students, most require applicants to submit GRE scores
01 Total International Students Hit New High, Surpassing 1.12 Million
Despite the perennial online buzz that studying in the U.S. is declining, the noise on the internet cannot obscure the facts supported by data: enthusiasm for studying in the U.S. has not waned but continues to rise.
In the 2023-2024 academic year, the total number of international students in the U.S. reached 1,126,690, a 6.6% increase year-over-year! The proportion of international students also reached a 10-year high at 5.9%!
Source: Opendoors official website
The number of new international students enrolled in the U.S. continued to soar, maintaining growth on top of the sharp increases of the previous two academic years, reaching 298,705.
Source: Opendoors official website
02 International Graduate Enrollment Continues to Grow
In the 2023-2024 academic year, the total number of international graduate students in the U.S. increased by 8% compared to the previous year. Undergraduate numbers remained relatively stable, slightly down by 1% year-over-year.
The largest increase was among international students holding OPT (Optional Practical Training) visas, up a remarkable 22%, indicating a growing tendency for international students to seek employment in the U.S.
Source: Opendoors official website
For the 2023-2024 academic year, new international undergraduate students numbered 93,978, a 1.8% decline from the prior year. Meanwhile, new international graduate students reached 176,084, an increase of 4.2%.
Source: Opendoors official website
03 Chinese Students Remain a Significant Presence in the U.S.
China and India remain the top two countries of origin for international students, together accounting for over half (54%) of all international students in the U.S. Among them, Chinese international students make up 25%, now second after India for the first time.
Source: Opendoors official website
In the 2023-2024 academic year, both undergraduate and graduate Chinese student numbers saw varying degrees of decline, but pursuing a master's degree in the U.S. remains the top choice for many Chinese students, accounting for about 44% of the total.
Additionally, the number of Chinese students participating in OPT increased by 11.6%, indicating a growing preference among Chinese international students to stay in the U.S. after graduation through the OPT program to gain valuable internship and work experience.
Source: Opendoors official website
04 STEM Remains the Top Choice
In the 2023-2024 academic year, STEM majors remained the top choice for most international students. Mathematics and Computer Science (25%) held the leading position, followed by Engineering (19%), and in third place, Business and Management (14%). These three dominant majors show a clear gap in enrollment numbers compared to other fields.
It is worth noting that most STEM master's programs at U.S. universities, besides requiring transcripts, language proficiency scores, personal statements, and resumes, also consider GRE scores as an important application component.
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Source: Opendoors official website
This trend holds true among Chinese students in the U.S. as well. Those studying Mathematics and Computer Science account for 23.3%, Engineering 17.1%, and Business and Management 12.7%. Notably, the proportion of Chinese students in Mathematics and Computer Science has been rising for 13 consecutive years.
Source: Opendoors official website
05 Top 10 Most Popular U.S. Universities for International Students
NYU tops the list for the 11th consecutive year, with Northeastern University and Columbia University following closely behind.
The remaining institutions are Arizona State University, University of Southern California, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Boston University. UC Berkeley surpassed Purdue University West Lafayette to claim the eighth spot this year. University of North Texas enters the list for the first time, ranking tenth.
Source: Opendoors official website
These universities all consider GRE scores important in admissions. To gain entry into these popular universities and programs, a good GRE score is essential.
New York University
Many programs at NYU Stern School of Business also require GRE scores, including Accounting, MBA, and Quantitative Economics.
Source: NYU official website
Columbia University
Columbia Business School explicitly requires GRE scores.
Source: Columbia official website
Even for programs that do not mandate it, like Columbia's Applied Analytics, the admissions office still "strongly recommends" applicants consider submitting GRE scores to strengthen their applications.
Source: Columbia official website
University of Southern California
Several programs at USC's Dornsife College, such as Spatial Economics and Data Analysis, and Applied Economics and Econometrics, have made it clear that the GRE is required (and GMAT is not accepted).
Source: USC official website
Similarly, programs under the business school have also stated mandatory GRE submission or strongly recommend it.
Source: USC official website
Boston University
For the Fall 2025 application cycle, most programs at BU's College of Arts & Sciences require applicants to submit GRE scores.
Source: BU official website
The GRE test, as a key language proficiency credential in study abroad applications, can enhance an applicant's competitive edge, especially for popular universities and programs.
We have previously compiled GRE requirements for more popular universities. Students intending to study abroad for graduate degrees should start preparing for the GRE early and make proper plans and preparations for graduate school applications.
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