An op-ed by CGS President Debra W. Stewart points to new opportunities to consider immigration policies that will stimulate our economy, support ground-breaking research, and create start-up companies and American jobs.

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

Appointment of Senior Academic Leader for UNC System to Begin July 1

Washington, D.C. – The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) today announced the appointment of Suzanne Ortega, currently Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs for the 17-campus University of North Carolina, as its sixth president. Dr. Ortega has held a diverse range of senior academic leadership positions in higher education and in graduate education specifically, serving as Chair of the CGS Board in 2005 and as Chair of the Midwestern Association of Graduate Schools in 2003.

Dr. Ortega will assume the chief leadership role at the Council beginning on July 1. Debra W. Stewart, CGS’s President since 2000, announced her plan to step down from the role in October 2013.

“We are delighted that Dr. Ortega has agreed to lead the Council as it furthers its mission to improve and advance graduate education,” said James Wimbush, current Chair of the CGS Board. “Her deep knowledge of graduate education—and understanding of CGS’s diverse membership—will ensure that CGS’s impact continues to grow in the United States and internationally.”

Prior to her appointment at UNC, Dr. Ortega was Executive Vice President and Provost at the University of New Mexico from 2008-2011. She served among the group that CGS most directly represents, graduate deans, while Vice Provost and Graduate Dean at the University of Washington (2005-2008) and also at the University of Missouri-Columbia (2000-2005). An expert in mental health epidemiology, health services, and race and ethnic relations, Dr. Ortega received her PhD in sociology from Vanderbilt University.

Dr. Ortega has also led the graduate community through a number of board and committee service positions, including the Executive Board of NASULGC (APLU)’s Council on Research Policy and Graduate Education; the National Academy of Science’s Committee on the Assessment of the Research Doctorate; the CGS-ETS Commission on Pathways through Graduate School and into Careers; and the CGS Advisory Committee on Minorities in Graduate Education.

“For over fifty years, CGS has helped graduate institutions meet the challenges of our nation and local communities,” said Dr. Ortega. “American higher education is at a critical juncture, and I look forward to working with graduate deans, faculty, and students at member institutions to advance best practices and develop and advocate for federal policies that strengthen graduate education and research.” Dr. Ortega added, “Debra Stewart has been an extraordinarily effective leader for CGS, and I am deeply honored to follow her as president.”

Contact:
Nate Thompson
nthompson@cgs.nche.edu
(202) 223-3791

Today the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) reported that initial offers of admission from U.S. graduate schools to prospective international students increased 9% from 2012 to 2013, following an increase of 9% last year. The new data marks the fourth consecutive year of growth in international graduate admissions.

In contrast to previous years, however, the report uncovered a wider divergence between applications and offers of admissions trends. For fall 2013, the final overall growth in the number of applications was 2%—much lower than the stronger gains of 9% in 2012 and 11% in 2011—even as the year-to-year increases in initial offers of admission have remained steady over the 2010-2013 period.

Debra. W. Stewart, President of the Council of Graduate Schools, commented that “For now, the year-to-year decline in applications has not appeared to have a measurable impact on the overall number of international students who are offered admission to U.S. graduate programs. This is a sign that U.S. graduate programs continue to see international applicants to U.S. graduate programs as competitive, high-caliber students.”

Admissions trends by country

The increase in the overall number of offers of admission to U.S. graduate schools was driven by a 27% increase in initial offers of admission to prospective students from India, a sharp turn upward following the previous year, in which there was no change in offers of admission to prospective students from that country. Admission offers also grew by 5% to prospective students from China, even though there was a 3% decline in the number of applications from that country. The data for fall 2013 marks the eighth year in a row of increases in the number of offers of admission for prospective Chinese students. Offers of admission to students from the Middle East rose 12%, marking the sixth year of significant growth, and offers of admission to Brazilian students rose 46%. (It should be noted that offers of admission to prospective students from Brazil make up only 1% of the total number of offers of admission to prospective international students.) However, offers of admission to students from South Korea, the third largest sending country of international students to U.S. graduate programs, declined 10%.

Admissions trends by field

The survey results show that initial offers of admission increased in all broad fields of study except the life sciences and education, where numbers of admissions declined by 4% and 3% respectively. Engineering, physical and earth sciences, and ‘other fields’ saw the largest increases in admissions offers, with gains of 16%, 11%, and 10% respectively. Gains also occurred in arts and humanities (7%), business (3%), and social sciences and psychology (3%).

Admissions trends by institution size

Increases in international offers of admission in 2013 were equally strong overall at institutions awarding larger numbers of graduate degrees to international students and at institutions awarding smaller numbers of graduate degrees to international students, with both cohorts showing a 9% increase in offers of admission to prospective international students. At institutions awarding larger numbers of graduate degrees to international students, stronger increases were seen on average for offers of admission to prospective graduate students from China, Mexico, and Europe. By contrast, increases in offers of admission to prospective graduate students from Brazil, India, Canada, and Africa were larger on average at the institutions outside the largest 100.

Admissions trends by region

As was the case last year, offers of admission by U.S. graduate schools to prospective international students increased in all four major regions of the United States. The Midwest saw the most growth (12%), followed by the West, the South, and the Northeast, with 11%, 8%, and 6% increases respectively.

About the report

Findings from the 2013 CGS International Graduate Admissions Survey, Phase II: Final Applications and Initial Offers of Admission is based on the second phase of a three-part annual survey of international graduate student applications, admissions, and enrollment among U.S. member institutions. The survey had a response rate of 57%, including 79 of the 100 institutions that award the largest number of graduate degrees to international students. The report is posted at http://www.cgsnet.org/benchmarking/international-graduate-admissions-survey.

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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.

International student applications to U.S. graduate schools grew at the slowest pace in recent years, according the Council of Graduate Schools 2013 preliminary survey of applications.

Applications to U.S. graduate schools from international students increased only 1% from 2012 to 2013, the slowest growth in eight years.

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.