US Student Trends in Studying Abroad
More US students are choosing to participate in a study abroad experience than ever before. Economic globalization is one reason for this increase – it is spurring students to experience more of the world and it is motivating schools, non-profits and the federal government to encourage students to go abroad for their studies. As a result, the number of US students traveling abroad to study has more than doubled to over 260,000 during the decade ending in 2009. Aside from an increase in numbers, there are other study abroad trends of note that are discussed below.
Study Abroad DestinationsAccording to the Institute of International Education's Open Doors research, less traditional destinations are becoming more popular among US students studying abroad. Whereas in the past, the most popular destinations were primarily in Western Europe, 15 of the most popular 25 destinations were outside of that region in the 2008/2009 academic year. In addition, 19 of the 25 most popular countries were those where English is not a primary language. China has been seeing the greatest increase in US students – it moved from the 10th most popular destination in 2000/2001 to the 5th most popular in the 2008/2009 school year.
Other areas that have seen recent growth include South Africa, the Middle East and South America. The United Kingdom, which remains the most popular place for US students to study abroad, saw a drop in its percentage of US overseas students, from almost 20 percent in 2000/2001 to only 12 percent in 2008/2009.
Duration of Study Abroad ExperiencesThe percent of study abroad students who participate in short-term programs, which encompass summer, January term and programs of eight weeks or less, has been increasing over the past nine years. According to Open Doors data, in the 1999 school year, 47.5 percent of study abroad students fell into this category while in 2008, the percentage was 54.5 percent. The opposite is true for the percentage of students studying for a full academic year, which decreased from 8.2 percent to 4.1 percent in the same time period.
The total number of students studying abroad has increased by over 80 percent in the nine year period ending in 2008, so overall numbers of students has increased substantially across all study durations. The percentage of students studying for a semester has remained relatively constant.
Composition of Students Studying Abroad
The most populous group of those who study abroad are junior year undergraduate students who represented about 36.8 percent of study abroad students in 2008/2009. This level as remained fairly constant over recent years while the percent of study abroad students who are working towards their masters degree increased from five percent in 2000/2001 to 6.6 in 2008/2009. Doctoral level students consistently make up less than one percent of the total. Also constant is the percent of female students which tends to be about 65 percent of students studying abroad.
Internships and Work Experiences
According to a survey conducted by the Institute of International Education, the number of students who participated in an internship abroad doubled between 2000 and 2008 to over 13,000 students. Schools are putting more effort into creating these opportunities and students are also searching out internship experiences on their own or with the help of an advisor. Schools and students are becoming increasingly aware of the importance on having worked abroad when applying for jobs in companies that have a global reach.
Increase in Study Abroad Opportunities
The US has seen an explosion in the number of US institutions offering overseas opportunities – from 64 percent of schools in 2001 to 91 percent in 2006. Within individual colleges and universities, there is also a broadening of opportunities. In addition to sponsoring their own programs, many schools now also offer the students the option to study abroad through a program sponsored by another school or organization. This is resulting in many more students studying abroad through an external program than in the past.
Full-Degree Enrollment
Although hard to pin down exact numbers, the volume of US students enrolling as full degree students abroad seems to be increasing. For instance, in the UK, the number of US students studying for a degree has risen by 30 percent over the five years ending in 2009. Out of reach tuition costs in the US and increased efforts by overseas schools to attract full-degree US students are two of the reasons why more students are studying for a degree abroad. At a growing number of schools worldwide, students can use US federal student loans to help pay tuition costs.
Public Policy
There is a growing recognition among US policy makers that there needs to be an increase in the US population's understanding of other cultures in order to maintain global leadership. Organizations such as NAFSA: Association of International Educators, have been advocating for the establishment of a US policy on international education. In 2005, Congress resolved to make 2006 the "The Year of Study Abroad". This resolution was in recognition of the benefits of overseas studies including cultural awareness, exposure to global knowledge and cultural understanding and empowerment of students to better understand themselves and others.
More recently, a focus on China has resulted in the "100,000 Strong Initiative" which aims to increase the number of US students who study in China to 100,000 over four years. The goal is to create the next generation of experts on China who will be involved with addressing global challenges that China and the US will face together. This initiative was launched in May of 2010.
Where US Students Study Abroad
The top destinations for US study abroad students in the 20089/2009 school year were:
| United Kingdom | 31,342 | Italy | 27,362 |
| Spain | 24,169 |
| France | 16,910 |
| China | 13,674 |
| Australia | 11,140 | Germany | 8,330 |
| Mexico | 7,320 |
| Ireland | 6,858 |
| Costa Rica | 6,363 |
Resources
Institute of International Education: Open Doors Data
US Department of State: 100,000 Strong Initiative
NAFSA: Association of International Educators
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