US Hosts Record 1.12 Million International Students, Adding $50 Billion To Economy
The new Open Doors 2023/24 data was released by IIE this week. The data shows an increase in international students studying in the US. This is exciting news especially at a time when uncertainty is looming as the next administration prepares to take office. With this increase in students, the U.S. Department of Commerce is reporting international education represents $50B annually to the US economy.
U.S. higher education institutions hosted a record-breaking 1,126,690 international students in 2023-2024, marking the highest number recorded by the Institute of International Education. According to the IIE’s Open Doors report, this represents a 7% year-on-year increase in international students, continuing a steady upward trend post-pandemic.
Trump Names Linda McMahon as His Pick for Education Secretary
On Tuesday, the President-elect announced his pick for Secretary of Education, Linda McMahon. McMahon was the former Small Business Administrator in Trump’s first administration. It is hard to tell what this means for a department that Trump has vowed to dismantle. In the announcement, Trump indicates turning education back to the states. We anticipate issues such as universal school choice and student loans will be highlighted early on in the new administration.
“Linda will use her decades of Leadership experience, and deep understanding of both Education and Business, to empower the next Generation of American Students and Workers, and make America Number One in Education in the World. We will send Education BACK TO THE STATES, and Linda will spearhead that effort,” Trump said in a statement.
Around the Globe
Opposition Blocks Government Cap on International Students
International students eyeing Australia can heave a sigh of relief as the country’s two leading political parties have decided to block the government’s bid to slash the number of international student enrolments at universities in the country.
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Indian Students Form the Highest Number of International Students in the US: Consular Officials
India is the leading country of origin for international students in the United States, sending the largest number of international graduate (master’s and PhD-level) students to the US. Nearly half of the 3.30 lakh Indian international students, who went to the US for higher studies during 2023-24, are from the two Telugu States. The number of American students in India has also increased, rising to 1,355 this year from 336 in the previous year, representing a 303.3% increase, they said.
