Why international students are pivotal to the future of US education

Surveying the state of international higher education, there is a compelling supply-and-demand dynamic unfolding. The potential benefits for US schools, our communities, and the world are immense. Today, more international students are studying at US colleges and universities than ever in history.

The number of mobile students globally continues to climb and is projected to increase from 6.9 million to more than 10 million by the end of this decade.

For our academic institutions facing declining domestic enrollment, these growth trends offer a great opportunity.

Unlike schools in other nations, US institutions have ample capacity to welcome these students – along with the enthusiasm, energy, and revenue they bring.

The numbers we see are truly historic. In 75 years of IIE tracking student mobility, the latest Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange found that during the 2023/2024 academic year, universities and colleges supported 1,128,065 students from over 200 countries.

That’s the largest enrollment number in history. The growth rate over the last three years is also higher than the country has recorded since 1920, the year we began conducting a census of inbound international student mobility for the U.S. Government.

In 1949, 75 years ago, we began publishing the data publicly, which has been supported by the US Department of State since 1973.

Who are these students?

They come from every region of the world, with about half represented by India and China.

We are seeing dramatic increases in the number of students from India (+23.5%) and sub-Saharan African countries, including Ghana (+45.5%) and Nigeria (+26.3%).

The three most popular fields of study are math, computer science, engineering, and business and management. In addition to those studying on campus, 18,129 international students enrolled online.

Why do these students come to America?

Regardless of the administration, over the past 75 years, the US has welcomed international students to this country.

The United States remains a top destination for international students based on the excellent reputation of the nearly 4,000 colleges and universities, opportunities for up to three years of post-graduation work experience, the ability to access the world’s most innovative labs, and the academic freedom to pursue study in many fields of interest.

Despite reports of declining respect for our colleges and universities here at home – a recent Gallup survey found that 36% of Americans have a great deal or quite a lot of confidence in higher education, 32% have some confidence, and 32% have little or no confidence – students around the world highly respect our colleges and universities.

International students consistently say that they come to the US because of the quality of our schools and the opportunity to pursue studies in every discipline.

We have approximately 4,000 accredited colleges and universities in the US. No other country has this capacity or history of welcoming students from every region and social background.

Our colleges and universities also have their own foreign policy.

Coupled with each institution’s strategic plan, our schools can set priorities for international recruitment and work with local and state government leaders to offer discounted tuition rates to students from countries of particular interest or whose businesses have invested in our local communities.

This is unlike any other country, where most universities are public, and all are regulated by a central Ministry of Education that closely reflects the changing views and dogma of ruling political parties.

Given this structure, US institutions can take in more international students.

The increasing number of internationally mobile students is being driven by the demographics of the students aged 15-24 in many countries in the Global South.

It’s rising. In 2020, this age group accounted for 85% of the population in developing countries; by 2030, that proportion will increase by 7% – to roughly 1.3 billion.

Today, international students make up 6% of total enrollment at US colleges and universities.

According to estimates from the US Department of Commerce, these students contributed close to $50 billion to local economies by paying tuition fees, housing rentals, and expenditures for meals and incidentals. But they are just 16% of the total global population.

Another 41% attend school in traditional host countries, including Canada and the UK, where the U.S. competes.

Foreign student enrollment in those countries ranges from 13-38%, with only room for a little more.

Since January of this year, the headlines from these countries are all about cuts and caps.

In contrast, the major educational headlines in the US warn of a looming enrolment cliff where, by 2025, 2 million fewer Americans will be heading to higher education due to our society’s declining birth rate beginning in 2008.

IIE’s Fall 2024 Snapshot survey reported a 3% rise in international student enrolment across US institutions as of the start of the 2024/25 academic year, building on sustained increases over the last three years.

However, for colleges and universities to take full advantage of this growth to close the enrollment and revenue gap, senior international officers need to reach out to deans of students and enrollment management to ensure campuses are ready for a continuing surge of international students.

They should ensure that their local communities maintain or refresh a welcoming environment and meet with mayors and governors so that they, too, know the value of international students to their communities.

For the first time in the history of our Open Doors survey, the US may stand alone in the world in terms of our willingness and capacity to host more international students.

If present trends continue, about a fifth will remain for 1-3 years to gain work experience, and 10% will succeed at getting work permits for longer.

The vast majority will return to their homes with the benefit of an American education and degree and a bond of understanding and friendship with our nation.

International education benefits everyone, from the students and scholars who study in the US to the American students who study abroad and the American people who benefit from both the cross-cultural connections and the over $50 billion economic impact it creates in the United States.

We think this is the best investment any of us will have in finding our future business partners and making the world we share a more accepting place.