Open Doors 2016

Report on International Educational Exchange

Produced by the

Institute of International Education

In partnership with the

Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs

U.S. Department of State

National Press Club | Washington, DC | November 14, 2016

#OpenDoorsReport

#IEW2016

International Students in the U.S.

U.S. Students Studying Abroad
Global Student Mobility

International student enrollment at

U.S. universities surpasses 1 million

International Student Enrollment

New International Students

Continuing International Students

1,200,000
1,000,000
800,000
600,000
400,000
200,000
0
2005/06

2007/08

2009/10

2011/12

2013/14

2015/16

1,043,839

7.1%

International Students in
2015/16

growth in international
students

Academic Level
450,000

Growth Rate

7.1%

400,000

Undergraduate

350,000

6.0%

300,000

Graduate
250,000
200,000
150,000

15/16

13/14

11/12

09/10

07/08

05/06

03/04

01/02

99/00

97/98

95/96

93/94

91/92

Places of Origin 2015/2016

South
Korea
61,007

Top 4
8,001 +
4,001 8,000
2,001 4,000
1,001 2000
501 1,000
251 - 500
1 - 250

India
165,918
Saudi Arabia
61,287

China
328,547

Top 4 Places of Origin

China

350,000

300,000
India

250,000
200,000
150,000

Saudi Arabia

100,000
50,000

South Korea

15/16

14/15

13/14

12/13

11/12

10/11

09/10

08/09

07/08

06/07

05/06

04/05

03/04

02/03

01/02

Indian students increased

at the highest rate

Where is the fastest growth?

Nepal
+18.4%

Vietnam
+14.3%
Colombia

+9.0%

Nigeria
+12.4%

India
+24.9%

Growth in Students from India

Undergraduate
180,000

Graduate

Non-Degree

Optional Practical
Training

+24.9%

160,000
140,000
120,000
100,000
80,000
60,000

40,000
20,000
0
2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16

International students make up 5.2%

of all students in U.S. higher education

Host States: Totals and Growth

New York
114,316
+7.1%

60,001+

California

30,001 60,000

149,328
+10.5%

10,001 30,000

Texas
82,184
+8.7%

1 10,000

Host States: Totals and Growth

New Jersey

Missouri

21,228
+10.6%

24,171
+11.4%

60,001+

California

30,001 60,000

149,328
+10.5%

10,001 30,000

Florida
43,462
+10.4%

1 10,000
Fastest growing
states >10%

Intl Students per Total Enrollment

WA
WA
OR

NY

MI
IL
CA

MO

IN OH

Massachusetts
11.6%
CT RI

PA
DE

Washington,
DC 12.3%

HI
TX

> 10%
5.1 10.0%
0.1 5.0%

Gender in academic mobility

Gender of International Students

100
80

56.7%

60
43.4

41.4

28.0

17.8

14.2

11.1

10.2

Men

13.4

43.3%

40

Women

20
0

1980/81 1985/86 1990/91

1995/96

2000/01

2005/06

2010/11

2015/16

Engineering surpassed business to

become the most popular field of study

Fields of Study
STEM: 46.1%
Engineering: 20.8%

Math/Computer Science: 13.6%

17.4%

Other STEM: 11.7%

Business & Management: 19.2%

Social Sciences: 7.8%

3.9%
5.7%

20.8%

13.6%

7.8%
Fine & Applied Arts: 5.7%

19.2%
Intensive English: 3.9%

Undeclared & Other: 17.4%

11.7%

Fields of Study STEM & Business

India

Science, Technology,
Engineering & Math

80.1
China

Business &
Management

24.3

Iran

79.7

Nepal

66.8

Vietnam

Venezuela

29.8

28.6

Sources of Funding

$35.8
Billion

Amount international students contributed to the

-Source: U.S. Department of Commerce
U.S. economy in 2015.
75.0% Non-U.S. Funding
66.5%

Personal and Family

7.4%

Foreign Govt or University

0.9%

Foreign Private Sponsor

0.2%

International Organizations

17.0%

U.S. College or University

6.6%

Current Employment

1.4%

Other Source

Fall Snapshot Survey of International

Students

Factors Driving Growth

Institutional Factors
62.3%

More active recruitment efforts by my institution

Growing reputation and visibility of my institution
abroad
Increased institutional support staff and/or resources
for recruitment and admission of intl students

56.3%

31.7%

Economic and Other Factors

35.5%

Growth of the middle class in other countries

Difficulty in getting into top schools in home country

19.7%

Factors Driving Potential Declines

Cost of tuition/fees at U.S. host institution
(including financial aid problems)

50.8%

Changes in foreign government sponsored

scholarship programs (e.g., Saudi Arabia, Brazil, etc.)

41.5%

38.5%

Students' decisions to enroll in other U.S. institutions

Visa application process and concerns over
delays/denials
Lack of sufficient institutional support staff and/or
resources for recruitment and admission of
international students

Home country's political and/or economic problems

33.8%

27.7%

22.1%

Outreach and Recruitment Efforts

China

66.5%

India

48.5%

Vietnam

47.4%

South Korea
Brazil
Saudi Arabia

41.6%
28.8%
25.5%

Hot Topics on U.S. Campuses During Fall 2016

Fluctuations in large
scholarship programs

Decline for Brazil (75%)

Decline for Saudi Arabia (57%)

Students from
conflict areas and
their challenges

Institutions are able to provide strong academic support

but limited financial support

Brexit and U.S.-U.K.

mobility

Too early to tell and direction of future impacts is unclear

Current social and

political climate

Too early to tell

Negative perceptions by Intl students (45%)
Actual student reactions (9%)
Fostering communication and dialogue (51%)

Higher Education Associations

International Students in the U.S.

U.S. Students Studying Abroad

Global Student Mobility

Study Abroad Trends

350,000
300,000

250,000
200,000
150,000
100,000
50,000
0

04/05

06/07

08/09

10/11

12/13

313,415

2.9%

U.S. students received academic

credit for Study Abroad in 2014/15

growth in U.S.
Study Abroad

14/15

Study abroad across

Europe drove growth

Largest Growth Among Top Hosts

Greece
+18.3
Austria
+17.0%
Ireland
+15.9%
Czech Republic
Mexico
+14.6%
+6.0%
Denmark
+13.8%
Costa
Italy Rica
+8.5%
+8.3%
Germany
+6.1%
<10% growth
Spain
+5.1%
5-10%
<10%growth
growth
5-10% growth

South Korea
+9.4%

Israel
+15.3%

South Africa
+5.7%

Australia
+5.3%
New Zealand
+10.1%

Largest growth in STEM

students studying abroad

Study Abroad Growth by Major Field

STEM

Business &
Management

Social
Sciences

Foreign Lang. &

Global Studies

Fine &
Applied Arts

+9.1

+5.6

-4.9

+1.1

+2.4

2013/14 2014/15

2013/14 2014/15

2013/14 2014/15

2013/14 2014/15

2013/14 2014/15

80,000
60,000
40,000
20,000
0

Top 5 Major Fields of Study

23.9

STEM

37.1*
20.1

Business &
Management

15.6 *
17.3

Social Sciences
Foreign Lang. &
Global Studies
Fine &
Applied Arts

9.2 *
7.7

0.6 *
6.9
4.7 *
*2011/2012 U.S. Higher Education data from National Center for Education Statistics

Diversity of American students abroad

is growing, but more needs to be done

Diversity & U.S. Study Abroad Trends

U.S. Study Abroad 2004/05

U.S. Study Abroad 2014/15

17.0%

African
American
or Black

Asian or Pacific
Islander

27.1%

Hispanic or
Latino(a)

Multiracial
& Other

White

Inclusion & U.S. Study Abroad Outreach

U.S. Study Abroad 2014/15

U.S. Higher Education*

27.1%

African
American
or Black

Asian or Pacific
Islander

Gilman Program 2014/15

41.7%

Hispanic or
Latino(a)

Multiracial
& Other

63.0%

White

Targeted outreach, recruitment and funding can substantially

increase minority participation in study abroad.
*U.S. Department of Education, Digest of Education Statistics, 2014

Gender & U.S Study Abroad

100
80

66.6%

60

Women

40

33.4%
Men

20
0
93/94

96/97

99/00

02/03

05/06

08/09

11/12 14/15

Students are diversifying their

experiences abroad

Non-Credit Education Abroad

22,431
25,000
20,000
15,000
10,000
5,000
0
2010/11

2011/12

2012/13

2013/14

2014/15

U.S. Students Full-Degrees Abroad

Undergraduate

Graduate

All Academic Levels

20,000
18,000

18,050

16,000
14,000

12,000
10,000

8,045

8,000

5,725

6,000
4,000

2,800

2,418

Germany

Australia

2,000
0
UK
Source: Project Atlas
Figures reflect data release year

Canada

France

Total U.S Education Abroad

Total = 381,846+

313,415

46,000 +

22,431+

Study abroad
for academic
credit

Full degrees
abroad

Non-credit
work,
internships &
volunteering

Generation Study Abroad

Generation Study Abroad Partners

Committing to Study Abroad Growth

Total Study Abroad growth

2014

Study abroad growth for

GSA partners

+7.8%

+5.2%
+3.9%

+4.9%

+3.4%
+2.9%
+2.1%

+1.3%

Growth in
Study
Abroad
-0.8%
2008/09

2009/10

2010/11

2011/12

2012/13

2013/14

2014/15

International Students in the U.S.

U.S. Students Studying Abroad

Global Student Mobility

Project Atlas

Top Hosts of International Students 2016

# Intl Students

United States
2%

13%
25%

4%

6%
6%
12%

7%
7%

8%

10%

1,043,839

United Kingdom

496,690

China

397,635

France

309,642

Australia

292,352

Russia

282,921

Canada

263,885

Germany
Japan

235,858

Spain
Other

152,062
76,057
1,177,178
Est. Total: 4.1M

Source: Project Atlas

Figures reflect data release year

International Students Rate of Increase

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

1,200,000
+36.5%

1,000,000
800,000
600,000

+3.3%
+35.9%

400,000

+7.3%

+20.6%

France

Australia

200,000
0
United
States

Source: Project Atlas

Figures reflect data release year

United
Kingdom

China

Many factors drive academic mobility

Factors Affecting Academic Mobility

Personal/Professional Goals
Limited Home Country Higher Education Capacity
Access and Equity
Academic Displacement
Growing Nationalism
Human Capital Needs
National Scholarships

Government Initiatives Promote Mobility

Scholarship Programs: The Fulbright Effect

2005/06

2015/16

2500
2,238
1,912

2000

1,975

1500
1,199
1000
500
0
U.S. Student Program

Foreign Student Program

The Fulbright Effect: Fields of Study

Foreign Student Program
2015/16

2006/07

FLTA

STEM

Social
Sciences

Humanities

Arts

Business

Other

The Fulbright Effect: Fields of Study

U.S Student Program
2005/06

English
Teaching
Assistants

STEM

2015/16

Social
Sciences

Humanities

Arts

Business

Other

The Fulbright Effect: U.S. Student Diversity

2015/16

2005/06
29%

African
American
or Black

Asian or Pacific
Islander

35%

Hispanic or
Latino(a)

Multiracial
& Other

White

Online Resources
#OpenDoorsReport

#IEW2016

iie.org/opendoors

Fulbright.state.gov

eca.state.gov

iie.org/mobility

educationusa.state.gov

@IIEResearch

studyabroad.state.gov

@IIEGlobal