Number of international students in the US hits record high

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New data indicates that the number of foreign exchange students enrolled at colleges and universities in the US has reached a record high, with almost a third originating in China.

According to the 2014 Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange by the Institute of International Education (IIE) in partnership with the State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, students from overseas now represent approximately 4% of all university students in the US. America is also shown to host more of the world’s 4.5 million international students than any other country.

The report reflects that fact that, since 2000, the total number of international students in the US has increased by 72%. Students from China, India and South Korea now represent nearly half of all international students learning in America; the number from China and India is rising while the number from South Korea continues to fall.

A considerable proportion of the increase in international student numbers in the US between 2013 and 2014 can be attributed to a surge in undergraduate students from China; during this period, the number of Chinese students increased to account for 31% of the country’s international student body. As shown by the Open Doors report, five times as many Chinese students have chosen US education since this point.