International Enrolment in USA Graduate Programs has Increased Remarkably
In contrast to a 4.7% reduction in domestic commencements, international commencements increased by 10.2% between 2021 and 2022, according to the Council of Graduate Schools' Graduate Enrolment and Degrees : 2012 to 2022 report. Apart from Engineering, the enrolment of new international students increased by 10.3% in physical & earth sciences, 16.6% in biological & agricultural sciences, and 16.6% in mathematics & computer sciences.
As stated in the CGS Report, 72.7% of first-time graduate students in Fall 2022 were Americans, a decrease from 76.4% the previous year. Concurrently, the proportion of foreign students increased to 35% in 2022 from 30.4% in 2021 and 12.6% in 2019.
International students accounted for one-third (33.2%) of all first-time enrolees at private, not-for-profit colleges; their participation was lower at state universities (25%). Nearly seven out of ten beginning students in computer science and mathematics, as well as more than half in engineering programs, were foreign students.
Applications for master's programs increased by 18.8%, both domestically and internationally. Additionally, applications for doctorate programs in the "R1" category (strong research activity) increased by 10.4%, and Advanced PhD programs experienced a 2-3% growth in enrolment. Mathematics & Computer Sciences, Business, Engineering, and Health Sciences accounted for around half of total graduate applications.