International student enrollment in the U.S. up ten percent to nearly one million
Students from Uzbekistan increased by 6% to 491
November 16, 2015 – The 2015 Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange, released today, finds the number of international students at U.S. colleges and universities had the highest rate of growth in 35 years, increasing by ten percent to a record high of 974,926 students in the 2014/15 academic year. This strong growth confirms that the United States remains the destination of choice in higher education. The United States hosts more of the world’s 4.5 million globally mobile college and university students than any other country in the world, almost double the number hosted by the United Kingdom, the second leading host country. In 2014/15, there were 88,874 more international students enrolled in U.S. higher education compared to the previous year. The Open Doors® report is published annually by the Institute of International Education in partnership with the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
The new report indicates there were 491 students from Uzbekistan, a 6% increase this year alone, and represents the highest increase in percentage of international student enrolled in U.S colleges and universities among Central Asian countries.
While China remains by far the top country of origin of international students in the U.S., increasing by 11 percent to 304,040, India’s growth outpaced China’s this year, with students from India increasing by 29.4 percent to a record high of 132,888. In 2014/15, China and India together accounted for 67 percent of the total increase in international students, and they now constitute nearly 45 percent of the total number of international students in U.S. higher education.
The report also found the number of U.S. students studying abroad increased by five percent in 2013/14, the highest rate of growth since before the 2008 economic downturn. While study abroad by American students has more than tripled in the last two decades, reaching a new high of 304,467, still only about 10 percent of U.S. students study abroad before graduating from college.
The release of the new Open Doors data marks the celebration of International Education Week, a joint initiative of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education to prepare Americans for a global environment and attract future leaders from abroad to study, learn, and exchange experiences in the United States.
Throughout the week, U.S. Embassy’s Public Affairs Section and EducationUSA Advising Center is holding events celebrating international education to provide students with information about opportunities to engage in international educational experiences. Here is the calendar of events!
Worldwide, the number of international students in the U.S. has increased by ten percent to a record high of 974,926 students in the 2014/15 academic year. The number of students from Uzbekistan increased by 6% to 491, the second highest number of students in the U.S. among the Central Asian countries. The number of students enrolled in undergraduate programs increased by 17% and accounts for 48% of Uzbek students in the U.S. Uzbekistan has the highest rate of growth in Central Asia for the 2014/15 academic year.
“International students in the United States and U.S. students overseas enrich classrooms and communities with their culture, their traditions, and their diverse backgrounds,” said U.S. Ambassador Pamela L. Spratlen.
“We are excited to see that record numbers of students are taking advantage of international education opportunities, and we applaud the efforts of U.S. higher education as we work together to increase the number of American students who study abroad,” said Evan Ryan, Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs at the U.S. Department of State. “It is critical that we continue to make study abroad more accessible. These exchanges strengthen ties between the United States and countries around the world. By increasing accessibility to study abroad, we are investing in our future and providing a forum to solve global challenges.”
“International experience is one of the most important components of a 21st century education,” said IIE’s President Dr. Allan E. Goodman. “Studying abroad is one of the best ways undergraduate and graduate students gain the international experience necessary to succeed in today’s global workforce. And studying in another country prepares students to be real contributors to working across borders to address key issues in the world we share.”
The number of students from Uzbekistan increased by 6% to 491, the second highest number of students in the U.S. among the Central Asian countries. The number of students enrolled in undergraduate programs increased by 17% and accounts for 48% of Uzbek students in the U.S. Uzbekistan has the highest rate of growth in Central Asia for the 2014/15 academic year.
Students from Uzbekistan in the United States study primarily at the undergraduate level, with 17.3 percent at the undergraduate level in 2014/15.
There are now 73 percent more international students studying at U.S. colleges and universities than were reported a decade ago, and the rate of increase has risen steadily for the past five years. International students now constitute almost five percent of the more than 20 million students enrolled in U.S. higher education, up from around four percent in previous years. This increase is due to both the growing numbers of international students and the declining number of American students enrolled in U.S. higher education.
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Open Doors is published by the Institute of International Education, an independent not-for-profit organization with a network of 19 offices and affiliates worldwide and over 1,400 member institutions. IIE designs and implements programs of study and training for students, educators, young professionals and trainees from all sectors with funding from government agencies, foundations, and corporations. IIE has conducted an annual statistical survey of the international students in the United States since its founding in 1919 and in partnership with the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs since 1972. Open Doors also reports on the number of international scholars at U.S. universities; international students enrolled in pre-academic Intensive English Programs; and on U.S. students studying abroad. Further details on the Open Doors 2015 surveys and their findings is on the Open Doors website at www.iie.org/opendoors, and the full 100+ page report can be ordered for $79.95 from IIE Books at http://www.iiebooks.org/.
The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) of the U.S. Department of State leads a wide range of academic, professional, and cultural exchanges that include approximately 50,000 participants annually, including the flagship Fulbright Program and the International Visitor Leadership Program, with the goal of increasing mutual understanding and respect between the people of the United States and the people of other countries. ECA also sponsors the Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarships for U.S. undergraduates with financial need, the Critical Language Scholarship Program in support of U.S. study abroad, and the EducationUSA network of over 400 advising centers worldwide, which provides information to students around the globe who wish to study in the United States. For more information on the Department of State’s educational and cultural exchange activities, visit http://www.exchanges.state.gov/.
