International students thrive at U.S. higher education institutions

The number of international students studying in the United States topped 1.1 million in the 2023–2024 academic year — an all-time high. International students come to the United States because of strong academics and institutional support at U.S. schools — and because of the value of a U.S. degree to graduates’ careers.

The 1,126,690 international students at U.S. colleges and universities during the 2023–2024 school year represent a 7 percent increase over the previous year, according to the 2024 Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange, released November 18 by the Institute of International Education and the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

More than half of international students (56 percent) studied science, technology, engineering and math fields. And one-quarter of all international students studied math or computer science, the report found. The number of students from sub-Saharan Africa increased for the second year in a row, rising 13 percent. The largest number of international students came from India and China.

Once international students arrive on campus, they find services and benefits at their fingertips. Here are some of the typical resources that help these students get the most from their college experience in the United States.

International student services

Many U.S. colleges and universities have offices that exist solely to help international students adapt to their new surroundings. At American University in Washington, it’s the International Student & Scholar Services office, directed by Senem Bakar. Her office steers students to available services, such as academic advisers for first-year students, a student health center and support programs for international students transitioning to the American way of life.

Also, a career preparation program helps graduating international students navigate the U.S. job market or successfully re-enter their home cultures. At Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, the Office of International Education emails enrolled international students to tell them about events — such as film screenings, festivals or museum exhibitions — on campus and in the Pittsburgh area.

Tutoring

New Jersey’s Rutgers University, like many U.S. schools, offers tutoring to international students. Tutors are undergraduate and graduate students who have successfully completed training in teaching their peers, says Stacey Blackwell, executive director of learning assistance and the learning centers at Rutgers University.

Rutgers also offers academic coaching to improve test taking, study skills and time management, as well as other services through its English Language Institute, Writing Program and Writing Centers, and International Academic Success office. And international students at Rutgers have a chance to mentor their peers as well, Blackwell said.

Student organizations

U.S. college life offers something for everyone, in part because there’s an almost unlimited number of student organizations on any given campus. For example, Pennsylvania’s Swarthmore College has more than 100 student clubs and organizations geared to every type of interest or academic discipline.

Paris Shan, a recent Swarthmore graduate from Canada who now studies law at George Washington University, served as president of the school’s international students club (called the i20 Club). The club holds a weeklong orientation for international students, featuring social events and helpful tips. The i20 Club also hosts monthly events “to celebrate our diverse cultures,” Shan said.

Each year, the club hosts a Fall Feast, “where international students can sign up to cook a dish from their home country to share.” Plus, the i20 Club co-hosts events with other student groups, helping introduce international students to the broader student population. The relationships are likely to bear fruit over decades, as officials in the U.S. government understand. In fact, the U.S. Departments of State and Education have issued a Joint Statement of Principles in Support of International Education (PDF, 473KB), citing the importance of “the robust exchange of students, researchers, scholars, and educators” between the United States and other countries.

With many options to consider, international students often look for guidance from the U.S. Department of State’s EducationUSA network of international student advising centers in more than 175 countries and territories. The network offers information about opportunities to study at accredited U.S. colleges and universities and advisers who can guide students through the five steps to realize their dreams of studying in the United States.

Find information on opportunities to study in the U.S. at EducationUSA.