Monday, January 22, 2018

International student numbers in U.S.A. decline

The predictions have been floating around higher education for the last year but the figures are finally in - the number of international students in the U.S.A. declined by 2.2 percent for undergraduates and 5.5 for graduate students. International students are voting with their feet and the causes will be the source of speculation and research.

Other studies confirmed the overall decline in international students in the U.S.A. and indicated that applications for 2018 were off another 3%. Visas were off 17% in the 2017 with the decline in applications from India even higher (28%). Concern over the decline ranges from the loss of international students as a resource for learning and research to the missed opportunity of hosting students who will be diplomatic resources when they return to their home countries. Brookings Institution analyses indicate that higher tuition charges to international students creates more general revenue but also funds approximately one third of the financial aid that is redistributed to U.S.A. domestic students.

The impact of declining international student enrollment varies widely across universities in the U.S.A. Institutions that already have a large proportion of international students and have greater brand and prestige recognition will suffer less, if any, decline.

With domestic student numbers dropping as well, perhaps it's time for higher education leaders in the U.S.A. to determine some grand strategies on enrollment.

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