The Open Doors Report is a comprehensive information platform supported by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and published by the Institute of International Education (IIE). Since its founding in 1919, IIE has released an authoritative annual report each November, based on surveys of nearly 3,000 U.S. higher education institutions. The report covers international students' countries of origin, financial sources, fields of study, top host institutions, academic levels, enrollment trends, and economic impact on the United States.
Recently, the Institute of International Education (IIE) released the 2018 Open Doors Report, providing comprehensive data on U.S. higher education international student trends.
The data shows that the number of international students in the U.S. exceeded 1 million for the third consecutive year, rising 1.5% to a new high of 1,094,792.
This marks the 12th consecutive year of growth in total international student enrollment in U.S. higher education. However, possibly influenced by changes in U.S. policies affecting international students, the growth rate has slowed for the third year in a row, dropping from 3.4% in 2016-17 to 1.5% in 2017-18.
According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, international students contributed $42.4 billion to the U.S. economy in 2017 alone through tuition, room and board, and other expenses. With such significant economic contributions, one might wonder whether the U.S. will adopt more favorable policies for international students.
“International students who study alongside Americans are a tremendous asset to the United States,” said Marie Royce, Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs. “We want to send the message that international education makes us stronger as a nation.”
Although the total number of international students in the U.S. has increased, the numbers of both graduate and undergraduate degree applications are declining.
Compared to 2016-2017, the growth trend for both undergraduate and graduate student numbers in the 2017-2018 academic year fell. Undergraduate enrollment dropped 6.3% year-over-year, while graduate enrollment dropped 5.5%.
The Top Source Country—China
China remains the top source country, with 363,341 students in the U.S. in 2017-18, a 3.6% increase from the previous year, accounting for 33.2% of all international students.
Many Chinese students in the U.S. have Indian and Korean classmates—the second and third largest source countries. Indian students make up 17.9% of international students, and Korean students 5.0%.
Following them, the next largest source countries are Saudi Arabia, Canada, Vietnam, Taiwan (China), Japan, Mexico, and Brazil.
Top 20 Universities for International Students
What students and parents care about most is which schools they can attend. Addressing this need, this year's Open Doors also released the list of universities with the most international students in 2017-2018.
New York University sits firmly on the “Iron Throne” with 17,552 international students. NYU's outstanding global reputation, top-tier education, and unparalleled location in Manhattan make it a dream school for many students and the No. 1 choice for parents. In the 2019 U.S. News ranking, NYU is ranked in the top 30.
The rest of the top 10 are: University of Southern California, Northeastern University, Columbia University, Arizona State University, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, University of California, Los Angeles, Purdue University, University of California, San Diego, and Boston University.
We can also see that the University of California system has a very high proportion and volume of international students. Among the top 25 universities by international student population, six are in California: USC, UCLA, UCSD, UCB, UCI, and UCD. Chinese students account for 41.1% of total international students in California.
Top 10 Destinations for International Students
The states attracting the most international students are California, New York, Texas, Massachusetts, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Florida, Ohio, Michigan, and Indiana.
Except for Texas, which saw a slight 0.9% decline in international student numbers, all the other top five states experienced increases.
California saw a 3.2% year-over-year increase in student numbers.
Located on the West Coast along the Pacific Ocean, California is the third largest state by area, known for its beautiful blue seas and skies and pleasant climate. As one of the world's largest economies, California is an international hub for entertainment, information, education, and technology. It is a gathering place for global elites and home to thousands of high-tech company headquarters, including Google, Apple, Facebook, Intel—firms that international students aspire to join.
New York, as an international financial center, has a population of 20 million and a long history as a gateway for immigrants to the U.S. It is often seen as the embodiment of the American Dream. Success, individuality, independence, and freedom attract international students to study in New York. The number of international students in New York grew by 2.4%.
Chinese students in New York State make up 39.3% of its international students. Most of them attend New York University, Columbia University, University at Buffalo (SUNY), and Cornell University.
Top 10 Fields of Study for International Students
Data show that in 2017-2018, 232,710 international students studied engineering, representing 21.3% of the total, a 0.9% increase from the previous year.
Business, though a popular major among international students, saw a 2.3% decline year-over-year. Despite the drop in total numbers, it still ranks second, accounting for 17.9% of all international students.
Students in math and computer science fields totaled 186,003, making up 17.0% of the total and growing by 11.3% from the previous year.
For Chinese students, the most popular field is not engineering but business, accounting for 20.7% of Chinese international students.
Engineering follows, at 19.0%, and math and computer science rank third, at 17.2%.
Significant Growth in OPT
In 2017-2018, the largest group—442,000—were undergraduates, up 0.8%, while graduate enrollment dropped 2.1% to 382,000. Students on Optional Practical Training (OPT) increased by 15.8%.
Appendix: International student numbers and OPT participation by field of study
Self-Funded Students Account for Over Half of All International Students
In terms of funding sources, 58.6% of international students rely on personal and family funds, 15.8% on U.S. colleges and universities, 5.2% on non-U.S. governments and universities, and 18.8% on current employers.
