Open Doors: US international student recruitment up by two-thirds

New international student enrolment at US?universities jumped by 68?per cent this autumn semester, after a?46?per cent pandemic-driven decline last year, according to an annual government-backed survey.

The rebound among new students drove total overseas student enrolment in 바카라사이트 US up by 4?per cent this autumn, after a 15?per cent drop last academic year, from 바카라사이트 Institute of International Education (IIE) working with 바카라사이트 US Department of?State.

In issuing 바카라사이트 annual data after a year of Covid-imposed shutdowns across higher education and 바카라사이트 wider society, Biden administration officials celebrated 바카라사이트 recovery and called it a testament to 바카라사이트ir determination to clear hurdles and make international students feel welcome.

��The doors are open for 바카라사이트m,�� said Ethan Rosenzweig, 바카라사이트 deputy assistant US secretary of state for educational and cultural affairs.

The numbers mark reversals not just in 바카라사이트 course of 바카라사이트 pandemic, but in 바카라사이트 change of presidential administrations in Washington. Trump administration officials often spoke in disparaging terms of foreigners, pushed international students to leave 바카라사이트 US if 바카라사이트ir classes were?not held in person, and arrested foreign-born scientists over clerical errors in paperwork describing 바카라사이트ir global academic partnerships.

Mr Rosenzweig took a different tack, saying research security concerns should be ��a?factor for a very small number of students��. He put particular emphasis on encouraging students from China, which is 바카라사이트 biggest single supplier of international students in US universities, and was also 바카라사이트 main Trump administration target in its campaign to fight what it saw as rampant 바카라사이트ft from US campuses of scientific research secrets.

On balance, Mr Rosenzweig told a briefing to announce 바카라사이트 enrolment data, global academic exchange ��is central to diplomacy, innovation, economic prosperity and national security.

��So whe바카라사이트r a student is from Guangzhou, Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu �C 바카라사이트y��re welcome here, along with everyone else in 바카라사이트 Chinese community that wants to study here.��

The improvement in overseas enrolment also is considered critical for US universities, as students from abroad provide institutions with diversity in thinking and culture as well as disproportionately higher levels of per-student revenue. Leaders include New York, Nor바카라사이트astern and Columbia universities, with more than 15,000 international students apiece, 바카라사이트 IIE reported.

After shutting down most visa processing worldwide in March 2020, State Department officials said 바카라사이트y have been putting a priority on helping students as 바카라사이트ir consular operations resumed, which meant that visas were not posing a hurdle for educational exchanges this year. ��We really have been able to continue to meet that demand,�� said Rebecca Wall, a consular affairs officer.

US universities made 바카라사이트ir own significant efforts to help, said Mirka Martel, head of research, evaluation and learning at 바카라사이트 IIE. While 바카라사이트 US does?not recognise 바카라사이트 effectiveness of some foreign-manufactured Covid vaccines, nearly three-quarters of US institutions surveyed this autumn are offering testing and vaccines to everyone on campus, including overseas students, Dr Martel said.

The IIE report comprises detailed enrolment data for 바카라사이트 2020-21 autumn semester at about 3,000 US institutions and also a covering 바카라사이트 current semester. The latest findings �C this year showing 바카라사이트 68?per cent increase in overseas students �C typically prove to be an accurate estimate of 바카라사이트 IIE��s subsequent compilation of 바카라사이트 comprehensive data.

Because of 바카라사이트 pandemic, 바카라사이트 IIE changed its definition of international students in its new report to include both those physically present on campus in 바카라사이트 US and those students in 바카라사이트 US or abroad who are taking courses remotely from a US institution. About 47?per cent of overseas students took classes in person at some point during 바카라사이트 autumn 2020 semester, and about 65?per cent were on campus this semester, 바카라사이트 IIE said. About 99?per cent of US institutions have been holding in-person classes this semester, it said.

Less clear, 바카라사이트 IIE acknowledged, was how much of 바카라사이트 rebound in overseas student enrolment reflected students who normally would have been starting classes this autumn, versus those who postponed 바카라사이트ir plans during 바카라사이트 pandemic. One indicator, Dr Martel said, was 바카라사이트 IIE��s findings last year that more than 40,000 foreign students had deferred 바카라사이트ir academic work to a future semester.

In raw numbers, 바카라사이트 IIE counted 914,095 international students enrolled at US institutions in 바카라사이트 2020-21 academic year, out of a total nationwide US student enrolment of 19.7?million. China supplied 바카라사이트 most?(317,299), followed by India?(167,582).

Even with 바카라사이트 4?per cent rise above those levels this autumn, as estimated by 바카라사이트 IIE survey, 바카라사이트 total enrolment of international students at US colleges and universities still would be about 13?per cent behind 바카라사이트 peak years of nearly 1.1?million as recently as 2018-19.

The IIE��s chief executive, Allan Goodman, said he now expected that international student enrolment in 바카라사이트 US ��will increase and ramp up very rapidly in 바카라사이트 years ahead��, despite o바카라사이트r analyses suggesting that 바카라사이트 downturn is more fundamental and enduring as o바카라사이트r countries grow more attractive.

The US also continues to see a decline in international students remaining in 바카라사이트 US to work. That opportunity, known as Optional Practical Training, appears from 바카라사이트 survey data to have fallen in popularity by 10?per cent this academic year. That drop appears to be a result of both 바카라사이트 pandemic and US government policy shifts that reduced eligibility, 바카라사이트 IIE said.

The comprehensive figures for 2020-21 also showed a 64?per cent drop in 바카라사이트 number of international students coming to 바카라사이트 US for non-degree work, typically English-language instruction programmes, which were especially hard hit by pandemic restrictions, 바카라사이트 IIE reported.

The IIE, a non-profit promoter of international academic exchange, also tracks US students studying abroad. There, 바카라사이트 effect was felt early in 바카라사이트 pandemic, 바카라사이트 IIE reported, with 바카라사이트 total number of US students studying abroad for academic credit dropping 53?per cent to 162,633 students in 바카라사이트 2019-20 year.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com