Open Doors 2024 Report: United States Hosts More Than 1.1 Million International Students at Higher Education Institutions

Open Doors 2024 Report on International Education Exchange: The US Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and the Institute of International Education has released the findings on the international students and US study abroad from the Open Doors 2024 Report on International Education Exchange.

According to the press release, the total number of international students at U.S. colleges and universities reached an all-time high of more than 1.1 million (1,126,690) in 2023-2024 which is a 7% increase from the previous academic year. International students accounted for almost 6% of the total U.S. higher education population and contributed more than $50 billion to the U.S. economy in 2023.

Check here the key highlights of the Open Doors 2024 report along with other details.

Number of International Students Studying at Each Academic Level

Open Doors 2024 Report: Key findings

US hosted All-Time High Of More Than 1.1 Million International Students

• 1,126,690 international students from more than 210 places of origin studied at U.S. higher education institutions during the 2023/2024 academic year, a 7% increase from the previous academic year.
• The number of new international students enrolling at a U.S. college or university for the first time remained robust, with 298,705 new international students in 2023-2024, matching last year’s total (0.1%) and pre-pandemic levels.
• International graduate students and students on OPT reached record highs.

India Top-sending Country for The First Time Since 2009

India and China together made up over half (54%) of all international students in the United States.

• India became the leading place of origin with 331,602 international students in the United States in 2023/2024, reflecting a 23% increase from the prior year. India enrollments increased primarily at the graduate (196,567; +19%) and Optional Practical Training (OPT) academic levels (97,556; +41%).
• China was the second leading place of origin, despite a 4% decline to 277,398 students. It remained the top-sending country for undergraduates and non-degree students, sending 87,551 and 5,517, respectively. Chinese students pursuing OPT increased by 12% to 61,552.

All-Time High in Eight of Top 25 Places of Origin

• Open Doors recorded all-time high numbers of international students in 8 of the top 25 places of origin: Bangladesh, Colombia, Ghana, India, Italy, Nepal, Pakistan, and Spain.
• Sub-Saharan Africa student totals grew by 13% in 2023/24 and had the highest growth rate among all world regions for the second consecutive year, building on the 18% increase in 2022-23.

Increase in International Students Across 44 U.S. States and Territories

The number of international students in 44 U.S. states and territories increased year-over-year.

• California, New York, and Texas welcomed the most international students.
• Among the top 10 states hosting international students, three Midwestern states saw the greatest growth: Missouri (+35%), Michigan (+14%), and Illinois (+13%).

STEM Fields Top Choice Among International Students

• Many of the major fields of study noted increases, as international students have options to pursue many types of majors in the United States.
• The majority of students studied in the STEM fields (56 percent), and math and computer science continued to grow as the leading field of study for international students in 2023-24. One in four (25%) studied math and computer science, while nearly one in five (19%) studied engineering.
• Other popular fields include business and management (14 percent), physical and life sciences (8 percent), social sciences (8 percent), and the fine and applied arts (5 percent).
• The most popular majors for students can vary by place of origin.

International Graduate Students and Students on OPT Hit Record Highs 

Over a half million international graduate students (502,291) pursued study in the United States in 2023-2024, which is an 8% increase and an all-time high. The number of international students who remained in the United States to gain practical work experience through Optional Practical Training (OPT) reached a record high of 242,782 students, which is an increase of 22% from the prior year. The number of international undergraduates (342,875) remained stable, decreasing by a moderate one percent from 2022-2023.  

A total of 298,705 new international students enrolled at a US college or university for the first time in 2023-2024, matching last year's total (0.1%) and pre-pandemic levels. 

Rise in International Student Numbers Across 44 States, Majority Pursue STEM Fields 

The number of international students in 44 states increased year-over-year. California, New York, and Texas welcomed the most international students. Among the top 10 states hosting international students, three Midwestern states saw the greatest growth: Missouri (+35%), Michigan (+14%), and Illinois (+13%). More than half (56%) of international students across academic levels pursued STEM fields of study. One in four (25%) studied math and computer science, while nearly one in five (19%) studied engineering

Enrollment Trends

Number of U.S. Students Studying Abroad Increases And Locations Diversify

The Open Doors Report shows that in the 2022-23, 280,716 U.S. students studied abroad for academic credit, an increase of 49% signaling further growth after the COVID-19 pandemic. Italy, the United Kingdom, Spain, and France remained the leading host destinations, with nearly half (45%) of all students studying in these top four destinations. 

Study abroad destinations further diversified post-pandemic, with Australia and New Zealand back in the 25 leading destinations for U.S. study abroad students. Seven destinations reached all-time study abroad highs as of 2022-23 including Denmark, Greece, Italy, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, and Switzerland. 

Also Read: US Open Doors 2024 Report: India Top-Sending Country For The First Time Since 2009