Driven largely by the global pandemic, the number of international students enrolled at U.S. colleges and universities fell by 15% – or 161,401 students – from 2019 to 2020. However, early data for 2021 indicates the number might bounce back soon. This is according to new data from the Institute of International Education and the U.S. State Department.
As a university administrator who specializes in international higher education, I see six important takeaways to consider.
A record decrease. While a drop was expected due to the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which included international travel restrictions and suspension of U.S. visa services, the number of international students in the U.S. has actually been declining since 2016.
The decrease in 2020, however, is the largest on record based on data dating back to 1948.
Enrollments are down across all fields of study at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, which fell by 14.2% and 12.1%, respectively.
A rebound is evident, but it may not last. While the overall number of international students dropped in fall 2020, a preliminary snapshot points to a 68% increase in the number of students beginning their studies in fall 2021 compared with a year earlier. This increase suggests a possible rebound is occurring. But any increase in 2021 could be a temporary spike and not necessarily a sign that international student enrollments will reverse their downward trend.
International students make … valuable contributions to the U.S.
Other nations’ losses may be gains for the U.S. Another factor fueling the reported surge in new international enrollments for fall 2021 is that the U.S. experienced less competition from abroad.
For instance, China and Australia, the world’s fourth- and fifth-most popular study destinations, respectively, have both remained closed to international students.
In August, Australia reported more than 200,000 fewer international students than a year earlier, before the pandemic began. While Australia allowed international students to return starting on Dec. 1, it remains uncertain when China might reopen its borders to students.
Less funding for STEM graduate programs. Many U.S. universities would find it difficult to maintain graduate programs in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, without international students. This is made clear by a 2021 report showing that international students constitute the majority of full-time graduate students in many STEM fields.
Fewer U.S. jobs. Beyond usually paying higher tuition, international students spend money off campus. In fact, they spend on just about everything that U.S. students do, from apartments and transportation to insurance and technology. In much of the country, local and state sales taxes are paid on top of these purchases.
These dollars add up. For every three international students, one U.S. job is created or supported by their spending. The 2020 enrollment drop-off means 109,679, or 26.4%, fewer U.S. jobs were supported by international students in 2020 than in 2019.
Fewer highly skilled workers. International students who work internships or get practical training also serve as a valuable pool of talent for U.S. employers struggling to hire workers in highly skilled areas.
According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the shortage of highly skilled workers is a key factor holding back economic recovery.
Economics aside, international students make many other valuable contributions to the U.S. These include increasing cultural diversity on college campuses, enhancing learning in the classroom and promoting positive diplomatic relations. While the U.S. remains the world’s top choice for international students, it continues to lose ground to other nations vying to attract foreign talent.
Consider that from 2000 to 2020 the U.S. share of the world’s international students fell from 28% to 20%. How could this be? The U.S. lacks a national strategy for recruiting and retaining international students.
Earlier in 2021, the Biden-Harris administration signaled that may be changing. Specifically, the U.S. secretaries of education and state released a Joint Statement on Principles in Support of International Education. In that statement, they committed to actions, such as implementing new policies and procedures aimed at ensuring the U.S. remains the top destination for global talent.
While it is still too early to predict if a unified strategy would actually reverse international student enrollment declines at U.S. colleges and universities, the idea of a coordinated national approach could help position the U.S. to compete for the world’s best and brightest minds.
David L. Di Maria is associate vice provost for international education at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Distributed by The Associated Press.
