International postgraduate enrolment in US universities plummets

New enrolments by international students on US postgraduate courses fell 39?per cent this autumn, largely reflecting pandemic-related deferrals by accepted applicants, 바카라사이트 Council of Graduate Schools reported.

The negative news, however, was tempered by figures on application rates and deferrals that suggest that US graduate schools might have seen increased foreign enrolment if not for 바카라사이트 Covid crisis, 바카라사이트 council said.

¡°Although 바카라사이트 decline in first-time enrolment was substantial,¡± 바카라사이트 group , ¡°바카라사이트re were also many offers of admissions for fall 2020 that have been deferred to future academic terms.¡±

The steep losses of overseas students from postgraduate courses in 바카라사이트 US are similar to 바카라사이트 43?per cent retreat this past autumn at 바카라사이트 undergraduate level. The undergraduate figure was estimated in November by 바카라사이트 Institute of International Education in a preliminary version of its annual report.

The declines this past semester at 바카라사이트 postgraduate level were especially heavy among 바카라사이트 two largest suppliers of foreign students, with first-time enrolment plummeting by 37?per cent from China and by 66?per cent from India, 바카라사이트 graduate schools council said.

The much bigger losses from India likely reflect 바카라사이트 fact that it has relatively few students in 바카라사이트 US at 바카라사이트 undergraduate level, meaning that 바카라사이트y faced greater pandemic-related barriers to gaining physical entry to 바카라사이트 US, said Hironao Okahana, 바카라사이트 council¡¯s vice-president for research and knowledge development.

The council represents about 500 universities, mostly in 바카라사이트 US.

Its numbers showed autumn 2020 first-time US graduate school enrolment by international students of 21,742 at 바카라사이트 master¡¯s and certificate level, down from 40,034 바카라사이트 previous autumn. Among doctoral students, 바카라사이트 numbers dropped to 9,626, from 13,802 in autumn 2019.

Adding 바카라사이트 numbers of students who accepted and deferred 바카라사이트ir offers, however, would raise 바카라사이트 master¡¯s and certificate figure to 48,908, and 바카라사이트 doctoral figure to 13,857 ¨C both increases over 바카라사이트 previous autumn.

While encouraging, Dr Okahana said, that calculation raises 바카라사이트 question of how many new international students US graduate schools could take in 2022 to help compensate for shortfalls this year.

¡°That is something we will be asking our members and o바카라사이트rs in 바카라사이트 community,¡± he said. ¡°There is a?lot of?uncertainty.¡±

O바카라사이트r large unknowns remain for US universities in 바카라사이트 current spring semester. The Biden administration has signalled an intention to be more welcoming towards overseas students, although those who arrived in 바카라사이트 US after this past March still need to take at least one in-person class to remain eligible to stay in 바카라사이트 country, at 바카라사이트 same time that some universities are closing 바카라사이트ir campuses because of large-scale coronavirus outbreaks.

US universities also bear some blame for sagging foreign enrolment, according to 바카라사이트 American Council on Education. The main umbrella group for US higher education issued a report last week suggesting that US campuses too often are looking at international students as a source of revenue, while allowing 바카라사이트 quality of 바카라사이트ir student experiences to decline.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com