UI International Undergraduate Enrollment Surges

Study abroad also continues to grow

International student enrollment at the University of Iowa continues to grow in line with national trends but is substantially ahead in areas such as international undergraduate student enrollment. This is according to data released by the UI Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS) in conjunction with the Open Doors Report published annually by the Institute of International Education (IIE).

The number of international students at colleges and universities in the United States increased by 8 percent to an all-time high of 671,616 for the fall 2008 term, according to the Open Doors Report. This is the largest percentage increase in international student enrollment since 1980-81, and marks the third consecutive year of significant growth. The Open Doors report is based upon fall 2008 data and thus is one year behind the current academic term.

UI's international student enrollment increased by 10.5 percent in fall 2008 to 2,379 -- 226 students more than in fall 2007 -- with 576 undergraduates, 1,615 graduate and professional students and 188 students in the post-graduation training period. Fall 2009 enrollments at UI, which will be part of the 2010 Open Doors Report, grew to 2,589 with a nearly 40 percent increase in undergraduate students to 802.

"We are proud to welcome to the university the largest group of undergraduate international students ever," said Downing Thomas, associate provost and dean of UI International Programs. "These students come here to receive a world-class education. They also benefit Iowa economically, add a significant element of diversity to our campus and will return home as alums and ambassadors for the University of Iowa abroad."

The UI's increase in international student enrollment has been, in part, the result of an international recruiting effort initiated in fall 2007 by the UI Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS), Office of Admissions and English as a Second Language Program (ESL). The university has particularly focused on East and Southeast Asia, India, the Middle East and Latin America in its recruiting campaign, and is seeing increasing populations from all those areas.

The Open Doors 2009 data reports on enrollments in academic year 2008-09 based on a comprehensive survey of approximately 3,000 accredited higher education institutions of all types and sizes, regarding international students at all levels of study. The findings do not reflect the full impact of the past year's economic downturn, since decisions to come to the United States to study were made before the financial effects were fully felt in the sending countries.

The UI's Fall 2009 international student population originates from 115 countries and territories. The top five countries with the largest enrollment in fall 2009 are China with 908 students, up from 627; India with 374 students, up from 373; South Korea with 317 students, down from 318; Taiwan with 116 students, down from 118; and Japan with 59 students, down from 69.

International students contribute $17.8 billion to the U.S. economy in money spent on tuition, living expenses and related costs, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce. In 2008-09, the state of Iowa received more than 204 million from international students, Nearly 61.5 percent of all international students reported their primary source of funding coming from personal and family sources or other sources outside the United States.