International student enrolment in US up 68% in fall 2021

MUMBAI: The Covid pandemic, which disrupted mobility, saw new enrolment of international students in the US plunge 45.6% to 1.45 lakh in fall (August-September) 2020, the worst ever drop in this decade. But a fresh 2021 snapshot survey of a limited number of institutions revealed a rebound with a 68% spike in international enrolment for the August-September 2021 entry.
Data collected from 860 higher education campuses for the latest survey by Open Doors added that total international student population increased 4%, up from the 15% decrease due to the pandemic in fall 2020. Total foreign enrolments had recorded its biggest drop in 72 years in 2020.
Indians in US graduate courses fell by 19.1% in pandemic year
Data captured by Open Doors revealed that enrolment from India declined sharply in 2020 by 13.2% after a 4.4% decrease in the previous academic year. The slide is pronounced in the graduate, non-degree and OPT (optional practical training) numbers, with a smaller drop of 5.2% in the undergraduate numbers.
Overall, the count of international students fell below one million in 2020 for the first time since 2014, according to the annual Open Doors report released by the Institute of International Education and the US Department of State on Monday. In 2020-21, 9,14,095 international students pursued studies at US colleges and universities (including those who studied remotely from their home countries), a decrease of 15% from the previous academic year. While China retained its top position with India and South Korea at the second and third place, all 25 top leading places of origin of international students witnessed a drop in numbers.
“International students are central to the free flow of ideas, innovation, economic prosperity, and peaceful relations between nations,” said Matthew Lussenhop, acting assistant secretary for the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, US Department of State. “The United States is strongly committed to international education as we continue to build back better.”
Indians enrolling in American graduate programmes, which account for the largest slice of Indian students in the US, dropped by 19.1%. The highest fall of 21.7% was in nondegree courses and 9.3% was in OPT, which is practical work experience after a degree programme for up to 36 months.
In all, the US now has 23,734 Indians at the undergraduate level, 68,869 in graduate programmes, 73,601 pursuing their OPT, apart from 1,378 doing non-degree courses. Indian students contributed $6.2 billion to the US economy through expenses.
According to the US department of commerce, international students contributed a total $38.7billion, down from $44 billion the previous year.