Which are the most international universities in the U.S.?

Are you considering studying abroad? For many students, it’s a comfort to know that while they’re miles away from home, at least they have a supportive community of fellow international students to rely on.

Even popular university rankings such as Times Higher Education, U.S. News Education, and the Complete University Guide measure universities based on their international student body.

The U.S. just happens to be one of the most popular study destinations around the world, so which of its institutions are attracting the most international students?

Among U.S. schools, the data showed that New York University (NYU), the University of Southern California (USC), Columbia University, Arizona State University, and University of Illinois were the top five schools with the highest international student populations, with more than 10,000 international students enrolled at each school.

There are currently 1.11 million international students pursuing their studies at institutions across the U.S., according to a report released last week by the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP).

The program, which is under the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, found that international student enrollment at U.S. schools increased by 5.5 percent this year compared to 2015.

According to Forbes, NYU was home to the largest international student population in the country last year, with 13,178 students from overseas studying there. Coming in second was USC (12,334), followed by Columbia (11,510).

In terms of U.S. states, Arkansas and New Hampshire saw the highest percentages in international student growth, at 20 and 19 percent respectively.

A large proportion of international students in the U.S. come from Asian countries, accounting for 77 percent, followed by Europe (seven percent), North America (six percent), South America (five percent), Africa (four percent), and Australia/Pacific Islands (0.5 percent).

Of that total, some 42 percent were enrolled in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) courses, and a further 87 percent from that percentage comprise of Asian students.  

China is the greatest source of international students by far, accounting for over 30 percent last year, followed by India, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, and Canada.

These are the top 10 countries of citizenship for international students:

If the U.S. is your study destination of choice, be sure to check out our helpful guide to studying in the U.S.

Image via Flickr

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