The Chronicle of Higher Education considers whether growth in international student applications to U.S. graduate schools is sustainable, or if the slow-down in applications described in the CGS International Graduate Admissions Survey is likely to continue.

The latest CGS International Graduate Admissions Survey was cited in a Reuters story about slow growth in international applications, and the impact to universities' access to investment capital in the financial markets.

Applications to U.S. graduate schools by international students grew by the smallest amount in the past eight years, CGS President Debra Stewart tells University World News.

CGS President Debra Stewart speaks with Bloomberg News about declining applications to U.S. graduate schools from China, the largest source of international graduate students at U.S. institutions.

Foreign Policy's War of Ideas blog highlights the slowing growth in Chinese student applications to U.S. graduate schools, as reported by the CGS 2013 International Graduate Admissions Survey: Applications.

U.S. graduate schools are getting more applications from students in India and Brazil, but fewer from students in China, according to the preliminary estimates reported by the Council of Graduate Schools.

The latest CGS International Graduate Admissions Survey shows a shifting international landscape for U.S. graduate schools.

Federal budget cuts to graduate research and increased competition from nations with less restrictive immigration policies may be contributing to slowed growth in international student applications to U.S. graduate schools.

Contact:
Julia Kent
jkent@cgs.nche.edu
(202) 223-3791

The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) is reporting that the number of applications from prospective international students to U.S. graduate schools increased a mere 1% in 2013, following a 9% gain in 2012 and an 11% increase in 2011.

The initial snapshot of international graduate applications for fall 2013, released today, marks the smallest growth in applications over the past eight years. The slowdown in international applications was driven primarily by the decline in applications from China that was offset, in part, by an increase in applications from India. Chinese students constitute roughly one-third of all international graduate students in the United States, and their large numbers have helped to mitigate recent declines in first-time enrollment among all graduate students attending U.S.-based institutions.

The survey collects data on all international graduate applications, and detailed information on international applications from seven countries (China, India, South Korea, Taiwan, Canada, Mexico, and Brazil) and three regions (the Middle East, Africa and Europe). China, India, South Korea, Taiwan and Canada are the top five countries of origin for international graduate students in the United States. Altogether, the seven countries and three regions highlighted in the CGS International Graduate Admissions Survey are home countries to about 86% of all international graduate students in the United States.

This reduced growth in overall international applications was primarily the result of the five percent decline in applications from China, the source country of 29% of international graduate students at U.S. institutions. Chinese applicant declines were offset by a 20% increase in applications from India, which accounts for 20% of all international graduate students at U.S. institutions. Applications from Brazil, having increased by 9% in 2012, grew markedly this year, by 24%. Applications in 2013 also increased from Africa (6%), which saw a 3% decline last year, and the Middle East (2%), whose increase follows a more substantial jump of 11% last year. Applications across the other countries and regions covered by this survey (i.e., South Korea, Taiwan, Canada, Mexico, and Europe) decreased between fall 2012 and fall 2013. 

Just over half (52%) of institutions reported an increase in applications over last year with an average increase of 9% at these institutions, while 48% of responding institutions reported a decrease, averaging 7%. 

“The overall slowed growth in international applications merits serious attention from policymakers as well as universities,” said CGS President Debra W. Stewart. “While the large increases in applications from India and Brazil are encouraging, the decrease in Chinese applicants needs attention. As a country, we simply can’t afford to maintain obstacles to international graduate study, especially as other countries are decreasing these barriers for highly qualified students.”

Application trends by field of study

Increases in applications were minimal (1% to 4%) in all broad fields, with the exception of education and the life sciences, which saw declines (3% and 7%, respectively). The three most popular fields of study—engineering, physical and earth sciences, and business—experienced increases in international applications of 2% to 3%. The arts and humanities and social sciences and psychology, fields in which few international students enroll, saw the largest increases in applications at 4%.

Application trends by institutional characteristics

CGS also analyzed changes in international applications by various institutional characteristics. On average, applications increased in public institutions (3%), but declined at private, not-for-profit institutions (-4%) in 2013. Additionally, applications from prospective international graduate students increased 18% on average at master’s-focused institutions in 2013, a sharp jump from the 5% decline that occurred in 2012, while international applications remained flat at doctoral institutions in 2013, following a 10% increase in 2012.

Application trends by region

Applications from international students increased minimally in all regions of the U.S., except for the Northeast. Increases were largest in the West (2%) and South (2%), while the Midwest increased only by 1%, and the Northeast declined by 1%.

About the report

Findings from the 2013 CGS International Graduate Admissions Survey, Phase I: Applications is based on the first phase of a three-part annual survey of international graduate student applications, admissions, and enrollment among CGS U.S. member institutions. The analysis includes responses from 276 schools, including 80% of the 25 institutions that award the largest number of degrees to international graduate students, and 88% of the top 50 institutions. Collectively, the 276 respondents to this year’s survey award about 64% of the degrees granted to international graduate students in the U.S.  The report is available at www.cgsnet.org.

Contact:

Julia Kent
(202) 223-3791
jkent@cgs.nche.edu

Washington, DC — Debra W. Stewart, President of the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS), today announced that Beth Buehlmann has been named the Council’s Vice President for Public Policy and Government Affairs.

Buehlmann brings to CGS more than eight years of experience shaping the development of higher education policy in the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, and over 20 years of combined leadership experience in the fields of higher education and workforce development. From 2005 until her appointment at CGS, Buehlmann served as the education policy director for the HELP Committee under the leadership of Sen. Mike Enzi.

The announcement marks the successful outcome of a nationwide search for a chief government relations officer to advance the role of graduate education and research in federal policy. “CGS is delighted that Beth Buehlmann, a national expert on national higher education policy, will be leading our continued efforts to drive progress on the critical issues facing U.S. graduate education and the country,” Stewart said. “Beth has demonstrated an extraordinary ability to build consensus on Capitol Hill by guiding the development of bipartisan education bills and effectively leading change. CGS members will benefit both from her experience and knowledge as the organization continues to advance the graduate education agenda in Washington.”

In her new leadership role at CGS, Buehlmann will be responsible for designing and negotiating public policy strategies that maximize the impact of the Council’s agenda. Buehlmann will bring her deep knowledge of the America COMPETES Act and the Higher Education Opportunity Act to CGS’s future work in the current policy environment. In accepting the appointment, Buehlmann emphasized the role of graduate education in promoting economic development and innovation. “CGS has a remarkable record of high quality research on critical aspects of graduate education,” Buehlmann said. “I am challenged by the opportunity to work with the ‘think tank’ side of CGS to shape a graduate policy agenda that moves our country forward.”

Buehlmann holds a Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration from Illinois State University and a B.S. in Mathematics Education from Chicago State University. Prior to her work on the HELP Committee, she held the positions of Vice President and Director of the Center for Workforce Preparation at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and Director of Congressional Relations in the Washington office of the California State University System. Throughout the 1980s Buehlmann was the chief education staff person for all education and workforce issues for the ranking members on the House Committee on Education and Labor.

The Council of Graduate Schools is the only national organization dedicated to the advancement of graduate education and research. Council members are colleges and universities engaged in graduate education, research, and the preparation of candidates for advanced degrees. Over 500 institutions of higher education in the United States and Canada constitute CGS’s core membership.