The number of international students at U.S. colleges hit an all-time high in the 2023-24 academic year, growing 6.6% year over year to reach more than 1.1 million students, according to the annual Open Doors report from the Institute of International Education and the U.S. Department of State. U.S. institutions enrolled over 502,000 international graduate students last year, another record-breaking total representing a 7.6% increase from 2022-23. However, international undergraduate enrollment declined 1.4% to roughly 343,000 students. Open Doors predicted continued growth of international enrollment for the 2024-25 academic year, based on its preliminary fall findings. But the federal government’s visa and work programs for international students could experience upheaval under President-elect Donald Trump’s second term, some experts say.
