American Higher Education Trends: Africa Accelerating, India on the Incline
Key takeaways: The American student body mix has changed dramatically over the last few years. There are fewer students from China and more from India and Africa. Universities can help this new cohort of students address financial and immigration concerns.
The United States issued over 307,000 F-1 (student) visas during the first seven months of 2023; 14% higher than during the same period in 2022, according to recent data from the U.S. Department of State. This is encouraging news and suggests the U.S. has long rebounded from a COVID slump and is on track to issue over 460,000 visas total during 2023.
In conjunction with these favorable trends, the mix of students is changing rapidly from traditional sources (like China) and towards emerging markets (like West Africa). However, there are barriers. In supporting students globally as a private student loan lender, we know students from emerging markets face significant obstacles to studying abroad, including financing challenges and stringent visa requirements.
In this edition of MPOWERed Insights, we’ll discuss these enrollment trends in American higher education through our own analysis of State Department data (Classes of Nonimmigrants Issued Visas). The next edition of MPOWERed Insights will explore what colleges and universities can do to support this new cohort of students with the financial and immigration barriers they face – including by proactively sharing financial resources and helping to coach students through the immigration process.
Understanding the increase in international student enrollment and why it matters
The rise in visa approvals in 2023 is a positive step toward bringing more international students to the United States, especially when the allure of an American education is more appealing than ever to foreign students. This increase comes after a challenging few years for American universities contending with COVID and enrollment declines.
The 1 million international students studying in the United States bring a diverse perspective to campuses and contribute billions of dollars to the economy. A healthy boost in international enrollment can help universities contend with declining domestic enrollment and boost campus diversity. But the new international student cohort is strikingly different from previous ones, meaning institutions need to understand these changes and adapt accordingly.
F-1 visas granted by country/region of origin
Source: MPOWER Financing and the U.S. Department of State. Data is for January to July of each year
China enrollment rebounding, India rising
Chinese students have long comprised the largest share of foreign nationals on American campuses – so much so that the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign once took out an insurance policy to protect the US$60 million in tuition these students brought to the school.
In 2022, China only sent half its pre-COVID number of students to the United States, causing anxiety among educators worried about empty classroom seats. But in 2023, Chinese student enrollment has recovered from its pandemic slump, with students receiving over 65,000 F-1 visas in the first half of the year, representing a 42% increase from the 2022 volume. However, this population still has not fully reached the peak set in 2019.
Meanwhile, the inexorable rise in Indian student enrollment continues. Colleges and universities were heavily recruiting Indian students in 2022 to partially offset the decline in Chinese students. 2022 marked the first time in many years that more Indian than Chinese students began their educational journeys in the U.S.
This trend looks to continue into 2023, thanks to successful post-COVID efforts from U.S. universities to diversify their student populations. Indian students received nearly 90,000 F-1 visas during the first six months of 2023, a 15% rise from 2022 and still ahead of their Chinese classmates.
F-1 visas granted to Indian and Chinese students
Source: MPOWER Financing and the U.S. Department of State. Data is for January to July of each year
While the Asian giants of India and China are sending increasing numbers of students to the United States, their neighbors are taking note. South Korea, Vietnam, Taiwan and Bangladesh showed similarly strong visa growth figures.
F-1 visas granted to students from South Korea, Vietnam, Taiwan, Bangladesh
Source: MPOWER Financing and the U.S. Department of State. Data is for January to July of each year
Africa accelerating
African enrollment is also booming – up by 16% compared to 2022, led by Nigeria (22%) and Ghana (57%). These two countries account for nearly the entirety of African student growth in 2022.
Despite these gains, African students – especially West African students – must contend with far higher visa rejection rates than their peers in other countries, meaning that while universities are seeing the opportunity to recruit bright minds from Africa, yields may be lower than from other nations. We’ve written about the opportunity the United States has – on a policy level – to better welcome talented students and immigrants from Africa.
F-1 visas granted to African students
Source: MPOWER Financing and the U.S. Department of State. Data is for January to July of each year
F-1 visas granted to students from Nigeria and Ghana
Source: MPOWER Financing and the U.S. Department of State. Data is for January to July of each year
Adapting to a changing classroom
In this changing environment, institutions that open their recruitment efforts to additional countries can more easily achieve their diversity goals in the process.
There is a well-trodden path of students from China and India studying in the United States. Institutions have opportunities to dig deeper within these countries and develop similar paths for other countries where students may have greater financial need. Since eliminating financial barriers is key to international student enrollment, institutions can benefit from working with students and identifying solutions to their financial and immigration concerns.
In the next MPOWERed Insights issue, we’ll discuss the challenges and opportunities posed by these trends, visa information and what universities and recruiters can do to support their students.
