What Do Students Who Come to the US Study, and Where?
Hundreds of thousands of international students study at US colleges and universities every year. Drawn by the many different kinds of educational programs, the quality and affordability of the education they receive, and the flexibility to explore different regions and cultures within the US, these students anticipate both professional and personal growth during their time abroad.
Highlights
- Business and technical most popular – The top areas of study include business, management, engineering, and physical and life sciences, representing a little under 50% of the total.
- Top countries of origination are in Asia – India, China, South Korea, and Japan send the most students to the US.
- Graduate studies most common – Close to half come to the US for graduate programs followed by about a third for undergraduate studies.
Trends in international studies in the US, as described by the Institute of International Education (IIE)'s Open Doors report, show that more and more students are coming to America for postsecondary education. The number of students reached an all time high in the 2007/2008 academic year – close to 625,000 students, which was a 7% increase from the year before. These students spend over $15 billion in tuition and living expenses. But what specifically are these students choosing to study? And where?
According to the IIE's report, the top ten fields of study for international students in the US were:
- Business and Management (20% of total)
- Engineering (17%)
- Physical and Life Sciences (9%)
- Social Sciences (9%)
- Mathematics and Computer Science (8%)
- Fine and Applied Arts (6%)
- Health Professions (5%)
- Intensive English Language (5%)
- Education (3%)
- Humanities (3%)
- Agriculture (2%)
About half of all international students were pursuing graduate studies, approximately a third were seeking a four-year bachelor's degree, and about tenth were earning a two-year associate's degree. Close to 50,000 international students came to the US to learn intensive English or pursue a non-degree education.
The top five countries from which students originated (in order) were India, China, South Korea, Japan and Canada. The top three countries reported double-digit increases: India up 13%, China up 20% and South Korea up 11%.
California hosted more international students than any other state, followed by New York in second, Texas in third, Massachusetts, Illinois, Florida, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Ohio and Indiana. Washington and Virginia showed the largest percentage increases in enrolled students, at over 20% and close to 13% respectively.
The University of Southern California hosted the most students (over 7000 in 2008) for the seventh year in a row. New York City reported the most international students than any other city, and New York University moved from third to second place with over 6000 international students. Columbia University, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Purdue University round out the top five, in that order.
National leaders in US education and culture attribute the worldwide popularity of US educational institutions to the welcoming nature of campus communities. As students from other countries come to the US to study, they realize that their presence is appreciated by students and faculty at these institutions, who value their contributions and a broader world view.
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