Students attending U.S. colleges today are seeing their campuses become more international, with classmates from countries like China, India, South Korea and Saudi Arabia among others. In 2017, over a million international students enrolled at U.S. colleges (from Open Doors Data).
International students have a lot to contribute to U.S. colleges. Students from diverse countries lend valuable insight and perspectives to a variety of issues. They have worked hard to achieve a goal of pursuing higher education in the U.S. and thus are often at the top of their class and very well prepared for the rigors of college. Families in China and other countries are highly motivated to send their students abroad where they are expected to get the best education money can buy.
However, there is another very real benefit international students bring to U.S. colleges that is driving increased recruitment. These students pay the full tuition price and very rarely receive financial aid from the colleges they attend.
While in previous years many international students focused on the top private schools in America, recently public schools have been some of the biggest recruiters of international students, while at the same time turning down thousands of in-state applicants.
A Wall Street Journal analysis of 300 public universities found that 54 of them had decreased enrollment of in-state students by about 10%, and increased enrollment of out-of-state and international students by about 10% or more (See this revealing short video, Why Top Students are Being Rejected by In-State Schools).
International students bring in thousands of dollars to colleges and can add to the local economy as well.
As the economy becomes more global in scope, interaction with students from other countries becomes an important part of higher education. Businesses have become increasingly interconnected, with clients, customers and employees working together all over the world.
Students within the U.S. benefit from the international diversity, as it prepares them for diverse workplaces all over the globe.
Best Quality Colleges & Universities for International Students
College Factual developed a ranking to measure the best quality U.S. colleges and universities for international students. According to this ranking, the best quality schools for international students to study at are Columbia University in the City of New York, University of Southern California, and Cornell University.
Go here to see the full list of the top colleges for international students.
Best, Affordable Colleges & Universities for International Students
Unfortunately, U.S. education, though of good quality, is not cheap. Many families are looking for the best quality education they can afford, that also offers a good value. College Factual’s Best Colleges for the Money Rankings for International Students reveals that some of the best quality and most affordable schools for international students are Brigham Young University – Provo, Brigham Young University – Idaho, and University of Minnesota – Twin Cities.
See the full list of the best quality and cheapest schools for international students here.
Most Popular U.S. Colleges for International Students
The U.S. colleges and universities that are most popular for international students are New York University, University of Southern California, and Columbia University in the City of New York.
Schools with the Most International Students
What is truly the best colleges for your student? Get started today finding out by using College Match.
