The Hindu Business Line : Indians continue to flock to US colleges

Despite the economic turmoil witnessed in the US, business and management courses continue to be the top draw among the international students flocking to the US with nearly 20 per cent of the enrollment being accounted for by these courses.

Report fact

According to the annual report released by the Institute of International Education (IIE) (with support from the US Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs) in Washington on Monday, and available in its web site iie.org, the number of foreign students admitted to US colleges and varsities jumped by 7 per cent during 2007/8 academic year to 6,23,805. Of this, the increase in the number of new international students — those enrolled for the first time in a US college or university in fall 2007 — went up by 10 per cent.

Open Doors

The Open Doors report released by IIE quoted Dr Allan E. Goodman, President and CEO of the Institute of International Education, as saying that “the steady increase in the number of international students in the United States reflects actions taken by the US Government and many individual colleges and universities to ensure that international students know they are welcome here, and that we appreciate how they contribute to the intellectual and cultural environment on campus and in the wider community”.

India retained its top slot for the seventh consecutive year among the countries sending the largest contingent of students to study in the US with the number of Indians going up by 13 per cent to 94,563.

This increase is higher than the previous year’s increase of 10 per cent. China kept its second place, showing an increase of 20 per cent for 81,127 students and students from South Korea were the third largest group with their number going up by 11 per cent to 69,124.

Asia continues to send the largest number of students to the US, accounting for 61 per cent of the international student population, a 10 per cent increase this year.

Top Courses

Though the US economy has been facing rough weather since the sub-prime crisis exploded last year, business and management remained the most popular field of study for international students, with the admissions increasing by 7 per cent and comprising 20 per cent of the total. Engineering with an 8 per cent increase and comprising 17 per cent of the total was next in line.

Agriculture showed the largest percentage increase (from a smaller base number), up 20 per cent from the prior year and Intensive English gained by 15 per cent.

International students continue to be one of the largest contributors to the US economy providing over $15.5 billion through tuition and living expenses. US higher education is one of the country’s largest service sector exports, as international students provide revenue to the US economy and individual host States for living expenses, including room and board, books and supplies, transportation, health insurance and support for accompanying family members.

Open Doors 2008 reported that 62 per cent of all international students met majority of their expenses from personal and family sources and 67 per cent of all international students’ primary funding came from sources outside the United States.

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