U.S. Graduate Schools See Large Increase in Applications from Foreigners

Numbers Remain Below 2003 Levels

Graduate applications from international students increased 11 percent from 2005 to 2006, the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) recently reported. This growth follows a two-year cumulative decline of 32 percent.

There has been considerable concern since 9/11, the dot-com crash and the flourishing of globalization that the U.S. was losing its ability to rely on the emigration of future scientists and engineers from foreign nations for graduate programs in the U.S. The Science and Engineering Workforce: Realizing America’s Potential, the 2005 report by the National Science Board, reminded readers just how much the country had grown to count on foreign talent to drive innovation. “For all degree levels, the share of U.S. S&E occupations filled by scientists and engineers who were born abroad increased from 14 to 22 percent” between 1990 and 2000, the report states. For doctoral degrees, the increase was even greater, from 24 percent in 1990 to 38 percent 10 years later.

Fears of an emerging crisis grew, beginning in 2003, as consecutive years of declines in foreign enrollment for graduate school were reported. While not all students stay in the country after graduation, a significant percentage do if opportunities exist for them to remain.

The new CGS report on applications for fall 2006 shows large gains in the volume of graduate applications from China (21 percent increase) and India (23 percent increase) to the Council's U.S. member institutions. Annually, China and India are the two largest-sending countries of students to the U.S., CGS reports. Korea and the Middle East also experienced increases of 3 percent and 4 percent, respectively.

Applications increased across all broad fields of study, including engineering (17 percent), life sciences (16 percent), physical sciences (10 percent), and social sciences (10 percent).

Overall, despite the increases, the number of international applications is still down 23 percent since 2003 for institutions that responded each of the last three years. While 65 percent of responding institutions reported increases greater than 5 percent, 35 percent reported either no significant increase or a decline, CGS indicates.

“This increase in applications from international students is good news and is a result of sustained efforts by both the federal government and graduate schools,” CGS President Debra Stewart said. “The federal government has made considerable progress in reducing delays in visa processing, and graduate institutions continue to improve their admissions systems and enhance efforts to attract international applicants. But the lower volume compared to three years ago bears watching.”

Findings from 2006 CGS International Graduate Admissions Survey, Phase I: Applications are based on the first phase of a three-part annual survey of international graduate student admissions among CGS U.S. member institutions. More than 150 schools responded, including more than 80 percent of the 25 institutions with the largest international student enrollments. Last year, CGS reported a 3 percent increase in international graduate admissions followed by a 1 percent increase in international first-time enrollment for fall 2005. CGS is comprised of more than 450 institutions of higher education. Its report is available at http://www.cgsnet.org.