U.S. higher education institutions hosted a record-breaking 1,126,690 international students in 2023-2024, marking the highest number recorded by the Institute of International Education (IIE). According to the IIE’s Open Doors report, this represents a 7% year-on-year increase in international students, continuing a steady upward trend post-pandemic.
According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, international students contributed $50 billion to the U.S. economy in 2023, primarily through tuition fees and living expenses.
Despite heightened competition from study destinations such as the U.K., Canada and Australia, the U.S. remains the most popular host country for international students across the globe.
“The United States remains the top host of international students worldwide,” said Mirka Martel, Head of Research, Evaluation and Learning at IIE, at a virtual press briefing.
Graduate students made up the largest share of international enrollments, rising 7.6% to 502,291, also a record-high number. This builds on a 21% gain the previous year and a 17% jump the year before.
Also, for the first time since 2009, India surpassed China as the largest source country of international students to the U.S., with 331,602 students, a significant 23% increase over the previous year. The number of students from India enrolled at colleges and universities in the U.S. has nearly doubled since the pandemic.
International students now make up 5.9% of the total U.S. higher education student body, according to the IIE, with considerable potential for more growth as institutions continue to expand their recruitment efforts.
“We’re extremely pleased that these numbers this year would be an all-time high for international students in the U.S.,” said Marianne Craven, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Academic Programs, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State, at the briefing.
“We also offer a wide range of exchange programs, including at the community college level, undergraduate and graduate study as well,” Craven added.
Undergraduate international enrollments, meanwhile, showed a slight decline of 1.4%, totaling 342,875. “It’s important to keep in mind that undergraduate decreases during the Covid-19 pandemic are still cycling through the four-year system,” said IIE’s Martel.
Compared to graduate enrollments, undergraduate enrollments can have a longer tail as those students can undertake a bachelor’s degree for four years and then continue their study in the U.S. by pursuing a master’s program.
The number of students from China to the U.S. also declined, with the second-largest cohort of international students falling 4.2% to 277,398. Together, India and China account for 54% of all international students in the U.S.
However, the Open Doors data also show notable increases in international student numbers from other regions. South Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Latin America each saw growth, with countries like Bangladesh, Nepal, Ghana, and Colombia reaching all-time highs in terms of student numbers.
The number of students participating in Optional Practical Training (OPT)—a work scheme that allows international students to gain work experience in their field after graduation—reached a record high, with a 22% increase to 242,782 students. The significant rise in OPT reflects the increased number of graduate students, many of whom utilize this program as a steppingstone into the U.S. workforce.
“We include OPT in our international student total, because it is an essential component in an international student’s academic experience,” said IIE’s Martel. “It is supported by their college and university, and it provides a work opportunity for students to gain practical experiences in their field of study.”
New international student enrollments were essentially flat, rising 0.1% to 298,705. The pandemic depressed new enrollments, and after a few years of sharp increases, “in 2023, we see new enrollments stabilize with a modest 0.1% increase,” said Martel.
The most popular states for international students are California, New York, and Texas, with 44 states overall reporting increases in their international student populations.
In addition, STEM fields continued to dominate as the most popular areas of study, with 56% of international students choosing these disciplines. This demand aligns with global workforce trends, especially in tech-driven economies. Engineering attracted 19% of international students.
The number of U.S. students studying abroad for academic credit also rose, according to the Open Doors report. In the 2022-2023 academic year—study abroad data is measured one year behind international student enrollment data—280,716 U.S. students studied abroad, a 49% gain from the year before. This reflects continued recovery from the pandemic, when universities shut down their study abroad programming and numerous countries implemented travel restrictions.