To kick off International Education Week 2016, the Institute of International Education (IIE) and the US Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs held a briefing on the Open Doors 2016 report at the National Press Club in Washington, DC on 14 November 2016. This report covers annual data on study abroad and trends in global student mobility.

This year’s briefing revealed the following major trends:

International Students in the US
1. The number of international students at US colleges and universities surpassed one million for the first time during the 2015-16 academic year.
2. International students make up only 5% of students in US higher education.
3. While students from China and India remained the leading countries of origin and accounted for 84 percent of the growth in international students in 2015-16, Saudi Arabia’s government-sponsored international scholarship program helped drive that country to surpass South Korea to become the third largest sender of international students to the United States.
4. Meanwhile, the number of students coming to the United States from Brazil declined by 18 percent in 2015-16, the largest decline recorded and one that is likely due to the freeze in the Brazilian government’s Scientific Mobility Program, which previously sponsored many Brazilian students’ U.S. studies.

US students studying abroad
1. The UK maintained its’ position as the number one destination for US study abroad and exchange students and saw a minor -.2% decrease in 2014/15, seeing a slight dip in its market share to 12.2% of US study abroad students compared to 12.6% in 2013/14.
2. 1 in 10 US undergraduates study abroad before graduating. In 2014/15, there was an increase of 3% over the prior year in the number of US students studying abroad.
3. 63% of US study abroad students participated in short-term (summer or up to 8 weeks) programmes.
4. An increasing number of US students- over 22,000 in 2014-15- participated in non-credit work, internships and volunteering abroad through which they can gain an international experience that can be applied to their careers.
5. The racial and ethnic diversity of US students abroad have improved modestly each year since 2004-05, with 27 percent of U.S. students who studied abroad in 2014-15 identified as racial or ethnic minorities, up from 17 percent a decade ago. Open Doors reports that about 5 percent of those who studied abroad were people with disabilities.
6. STEM majors surpassed Business as the top major of US students studying abroad. However, STEM students are still underrepresented in study abroad compared to STEM enrolments in higher education in the US.

Global mobility
1. The UK remains the second-most popular destination for international students for full degrees after the US. The UK saw a +.6% increase in international students in full-degree programmes.
2. The UK hosts the largest share of international students in comparison to the total higher education population.

Sources: Open Doors and Project Atlas

Open Doors is published by the Institute of International Education, an independent not-for-profit organization with a network of 19 offices and affiliates worldwide and over 1,400 member institutions. IIE designs and implements programs of study and training for students, educators, young professionals and trainees from all sectors with funding from government agencies, foundations, and corporations. IIE has conducted an annual statistical survey of the international students in the United States since its founding in 1919 and in partnership with the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs since 1972. Open Doors also reports on the number of international scholars at U.S. universities; international students enrolled in pre-academic Intensive English Programs; and on U.S. students studying abroad. Further details on the Open Doors 2016 surveys and their findings is on the Open Doors website, and the full 100+ page report will be available in January and can be ordered from IIE Books.

The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) of the U.S. Department of State builds relations between the people of the United States and the people of other countries through academic, cultural, sports, professional and private sector exchanges, as well as public-private partnerships and mentoring programs. Approximately 50,000 participants annually embark on these exchange programs, including the flagship Fulbright Program and the International Visitor Leadership Program. ECA also sponsors the Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarships for U.S. undergraduates with financial need, the Critical Language Scholarship Program in support of U.S. foreign language study abroad, and the EducationUSA network of over 400 advising centers worldwide, which provides information to students around the globe who wish to study in the United States. For more information on the Department of State’s educational and cultural exchange activities, visit eca.state.gov or contact ECA-Press@state.gov.