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International students are returning to U.S. colleges in greater numbers this year, but the recovery has yet to offset historical declines from last year as COVID-19 continues to disrupt academic exchanges, according to a new survey.
Nationwide, American colleges and universities saw a 4% annual increase in international students this fall, according to poll results released Monday by the Institute of International Education. However, this follows a 15% drop last year – the sharpest drop since the institute began publishing data in 1948.
The upswing is better than many universities had forecast in the summer, when the delta variant increased sharply. But it also reflects ongoing barriers as the visa backlog persists and some students are reluctant to study abroad during the pandemic.
Universities and US officials hope this year’s uptrend is the start of a long-term recovery. As international travel increases, there is optimism that colleges will grow beyond their pre-pandemic levels.
“We expect an increase after the pandemic,” Matthew Lussenhop, a acting US assistant secretary of state, told reporters. This year’s increase suggests that international students “continue to value US education and are committed to studying in the United States,” he added.
Overall, 70% of U.S. colleges reported an increase in international students this fall, while 20% saw a decline and 10% stayed the same, according to the institute. That comes from a preliminary survey of more than 800 US schools. The nonprofit plans to release full nationwide data next year.
At least part of the increase is due to new students hoping to get to the US last year but delaying their plans due to the pandemic. Overall, there was a 68% increase in newly enrolled international students this year, a dramatic increase from the 46% decrease in the previous year.
For many schools, even a modest upswing is a relief. Over the summer, US university officials feared the Delta variant would destroy all hopes for a recovery. But for many this has not happened.
In August, U.S. embassies and consulates in India reported that they had recently issued a record 55,000 student visas, even after the process started two months late due to COVID-19. Embassies in China reported having issued 85,000 student visas.
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign enrolled more than 10,000 international students this fall, almost offsetting a 28% year-over-year decline.
“What we are seeing now is a return to normal for our international population,” said Andy Borst, director of student admissions at the university. The upswing is being fueled by new students, with those from India nearly 70% above pre-pandemic levels.
“We just had this backlog,” said Borst. “Many of the Big Ten schools saw an increase beyond what we expected.”
At some schools with major brands overseas, enrollments surged beyond their 2019 numbers. According to school data, more than 17,000 international students enrolled at New York University this fall, up 14% from 2019.
At the University of Rochester, another top destination for international students in New York, overseas enrollments rose 70% compared to 2019, due to a boom in PhD students, according to school data.
Most students were able to get on campus within the first few weeks of the semester, but many had to deal with visa arrears at U.S. embassies and consulates, not to mention costly flights and cancellations, said Jennifer Blask, the university’s director of international admissions.
The vast majority of U.S. colleges returned to face-to-face learning this fall, but not all international students are physically on campus. After moving to distance learning last year, many schools continue to offer online courses for students abroad, allowing thousands to stay enrolled remotely.
Of all international students enrolled in U.S. colleges this year, the survey found that approximately 65% attended courses on campus.
For Chinese students who are unable to travel this semester, NYU continues to provide its academic center in Shanghai, which is traditionally used for US students abroad. The university also allowed international students to use its London and Abu Dhabi locations last year, but has since returned them for study abroad programs.
For some colleges, the new flexibility of online learning helped avoid further enrollment setbacks. In the past, University of San Francisco students may have had visa or travel issues to start the semester a week late. Now those facing visa delays can arrive halfway through the semester or later and study online from abroad in the meantime.
Due to travel restrictions in Vietnam, PhD student Vinh Le was unable to reach Ho Chi Minh City airport in time for the start of the autumn course. Instead, he studied online for more than two months until he could get his first vaccination, which allowed him to travel.
Online classes are challenging because of the time difference, he said, but the professors are “very supportive” and have recorded their lectures so that they can watch them anytime. On November 1, he finally made it to the University of San Francisco.
International students are viewed as key contributors to the US campus for a variety of reasons. Colleges say they help bring a diverse mix of cultures and views on campus. After graduation, many work in areas that are in high demand. And some colleges rely on the financial benefits of international students who are typically charged higher tuition fees.
Although many colleges have avoided a second year of declines, there are still concerns that the recovery may be limited to certain types of colleges. The new survey found that community colleges suffered much larger declines than four-year universities over the past year, with a nationwide decline of 24%.
Researchers are still analyzing this year’s data, but some fear that community colleges may continue to lag behind.
The question also arises as to whether the recovery will continue beyond this year. New vaccination requirements for overseas travelers could make it difficult for some students to get here, and colleges expect continued competition from colleges in Australia, Canada, and other nations looking to bolster their international populations.
Still, officials at many universities are optimistic. More vaccines are being sent overseas, and newly lifted travel bans promise to break down travel barriers. Some also credit President Joe Biden for sending a message that America wants students from abroad.
In July, the administration issued a statement pledging a “renewed” commitment to international education and saying it would work to make overseas students feel welcome.
Rachel Banks, senior director of public policy and legislative strategy at NAFSA, an international education association, said this was a move from the Trump administration.
“There has been a lot of negativity and negative rhetoric around international students in the last administration,” said Banks. “Biden is now trying to telegraph the world that there is an interest in international students coming here.”
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