At the start of 2021/22, more than one million international students were attending colleges in the US, contributing heavily to school revenues while spending heavily on housing and goods. They may also apply for one to three years of work experience post graduation sponsored by their schools – often leading to future employment either immigrating abroad or returning home to pursue careers related to their field of study.
New York and California universities are two of the most sought-after destinations for international students in America, due to their academic programs and global networks of scholars that collaborate on solving some of today’s pressing issues – factors which draw in hundreds of thousands of international students annually.
Although Chinese enrollment may have seen a recent decrease, the US remains the destination of choice for many international students. Other popular choices are UK, Canada and Australia; however, US stands out as providing students with access to an array of cultures and backgrounds in one location.
These international environments reflect the fact that universities are, by nature, global institutions, welcoming communities from around the globe and working to address some of our planet’s greatest issues. Data for this article comes primarily from the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2023 which measures universities based on their international outlook: proportion of international students and staff as well as journal publications with at least one international co-author.