According to a survey, international students are returning to U.S. colleges this year in greater numbers, but it is still not enough to make up last year’s historical declines. COVID-19 continues its disruption of academic exchange.
According to the Institute of International Education’s Monday survey results, there was a nationwide 4% increase in international students at American universities and colleges. However, this follows a decline of 15% last year, the largest drop since 1948 when the institute started publishing data.
As the delta variant surged, the upturn is much better than most colleges expected. It also shows that there are still obstacles to overcome, such as visa backlogs and students reluctance during the pandemic.
Officials from the United States hope that this year’s growth is the beginning of a long-term recovery. Colleges will experience growth that is beyond their pre-pandemic levels as international travel increases.
Matthew Lussenhop (acting U.S. assistant secretary of state) said that he expected a surge in interest following the pandemic. He said that this year’s rise indicates that international students continue to value American education and are committed to continuing their studies in the United States.
According to the institute, 73% of U.S. colleges reported an increase in international students in fall 2018, while 20% reported decreases and 10% maintained their level. This is based on preliminary surveys of over 800 U.S. colleges. The nonprofit intends to release full national data next year.
The increase in students is at least partially due to those who had hoped to visit the U.S. but were unable to do so because of the pandemic. This year saw a 68% increase of international students who were enrolled, which is a significant increase over last year’s 46% decrease.
A modest recovery is enough for many schools. Officials at U.S. universities were concerned that the Delta variant would endanger any hope of a rebound this summer. Many people were not so fortunate.
The U.S. consulates and embassies in India reported in August that they had just issued visas for 55,000 students, despite starting the process two more months late due to COVID-19. China’s embassies reported that they had issued 85,000 visas to students.
More than 10,000 international students were enrolled at the University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign this fall, nearly compensating a 28% drop from last year.
Andy Borst (director of undergraduate admissions) said that the university is seeing a return back to normal for international students. New undergraduates are fueling the rebound, with India’s numbers up almost 70% over pre-pandemic levels.
Borst stated that there was a “pent-up demand”. “A lot Big Ten schools saw increases that were beyond what we expected.”
Some schools that have big brands abroad saw enrollments rise beyond their 2019 numbers. According to school data, New York University had more than 17,000 international students enrolling this fall. This is an increase of 14% from 2019.
According to school data, the University of Rochester was another top international student destination in New York. Enrollments from abroad jumped 70% over 2019 levels. This was due to a surge in graduate students.
The majority of students arrived on campus in the first week of the semester. However, many had to deal with visa backlogs at U.S. consulates and embassies.
While the vast majority of U.S. colleges have returned to in-person learning this fall, not all international students are able to attend campus. Many schools offer online courses to international students, which allows thousands of people to continue their education despite the shift to remote learning last year.
The survey revealed that approximately 65% of international students who enrolled in U.S. colleges were taking classes on campus.
NYU will continue to allow Chinese students to use its academic center at Shanghai for the semester if they are unable to travel to New York. This facility is normally used by U.S. students abroad. International students were also allowed to use the London and Abu Dhabi campuses last year. However, they have been returned for study abroad programs.
Some colleges found that online learning allowed them to avoid more enrollment problems. Students at the University of San Francisco used to be able start terms a week later if they had visa or travel issues. Those with visa delays can now arrive halfway through the term, or later, and study online while they wait.
Vinh Le, a graduate student from Vietnam, was unable to travel to Ho Chi Minh City in time to start fall classes because of Vietnam’s travel restrictions. He instead studied online for over two months before he was able to get his first vaccination shot. This allowed him travel.
He said that taking classes online was difficult because of the difference in time, but that professors were supportive and could be viewed at any time. He made it to San Francisco University on November 1.
For a variety reasons, international students are considered important contributors to U.S. campus life. Colleges believe they bring a diversity of views and cultures to campus. Many students go on to work in highly-demanded fields after graduation. Some colleges also rely on international students for financial support, which is often charged higher tuition rates.
While many colleges have managed to avoid a second year in decline, it is possible that some colleges may not be benefiting from the recovery. A new survey revealed that community colleges experienced a much more severe decline last year than four-year universities. There was a 24% national backslide.
While researchers are still analysing this year’s data for accuracy, some fear that community colleges might continue to lag.
It is also uncertain if the rebound will continue beyond this year. Colleges are anticipating continued competition from colleges in Australia and Canada, which is looking to increase their international population.
Many colleges remain optimistic. Newly lifted travel bans will allow for more vaccines to be sent overseas. Many credit President Joe Biden with sending the message that America values students from abroad.
The administration released a statement in July promising a renewed commitment to international education. It stated that it would work to make students from overseas feel welcome.
Rachel Banks, NAFSA’s senior director of legislative strategy and public policy, stated that this is a significant shift from Trump’s administration.
Banks stated that there was “a lot of negativity around international students in the previous administration.” “Biden is trying to signal to the world that it’s interested in international students coming to this country,” Banks said.
