The Association of International Educators estimates that a decline in international student enrollment has cost the US economy $11.8 billion and resulted in over 65,000 job losses.
The Association of International Educators estimates that a decline in international student enrollment has cost the US economy $11.8 billion and resulted in over 65,000 job losses.
Chinese students studying in the US declined 8.6 percent to 290,000 last year, while Indian student numbers stood at 200,000, a 19-percent rise according to the Institute of International Education, as fewer Chinese students are seeking the “American dream.”
Surveys from Chinese education company New Oriental Education & Technology Group and data from The Wall Street Journal show that the desire of Chinese students to study in the U.S. decreased, from 51 percent to 30 percent, between 2015 and 2019.
International students, including those from China, are questioning the safety of studying in the US due to concerns over gun violence. In 2018, a survey by the Institute of International Education found that 44 percent of applicants for 2017-18 cited civil unrest and safety issues as their primary concerns when deciding whether to enroll. Civil unrest was also listed as a factor in their decision-making.
The Association of International Educators estimates that a decline in international student enrollment has cost the US economy $11.8 billion and resulted in over 65,000 job losses.
In 2018, Chinese students generated $14.9 billion in revenue for U.S. colleges and universities through tuition fees and living expenses, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce. This influx has become a major source of income for American higher education institutions while contributing substantially to the U.S. economy.
Nearly half of the one million international students in the US are enrolled in STEM programs, which encompass science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Data show a decrease in the number of these students, particularly from China, reducing the US’s access to high-tech talent. Last year, almost half of all master’s and doctoral degrees in STEM fields were awarded to foreign students, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.
In 2020, the Trump administration implemented a ban restricting entry of graduate students from certain Chinese universities believed to have military ties. Under the Biden administration, the policy remains in effect, posing challenges for Chinese STEM students seeking to stay in the US.
The U.S. Justice Department ended its China Initiative last year, following criticism that it hampered academic collaboration and stoked anti-Asian bias. According to a report by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, a group of 38 countries, the US is falling behind China and other countries in competing for scientific talent.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed a law requiring public colleges in the state to seek approval from a higher education governing board before collaborating with or accepting grants from certain countries, including China. Ohio legislators have proposed banning all formal ties between public universities and Chinese academic institutions. State-level restrictions on international partnerships are heightening tensions with Beijing.
Chinese students’ interest in studying abroad has surged, but the US is no longer a favored destination. According to New Oriental, an education and training institution, fewer Chinese students are choosing America as their study abroad option; instead, they’re increasingly opting for the UK, Hong Kong, and Singapore.
At the University of Toronto, Chinese student enrollment has surged over the past decade, from about 6,000 in 2013-14 to 15,700 for 2022-23, according to Axios data. Canada as a whole is also seeing an increase in Chinese students studying in the country.
