“Supporting Graduate Student Mental Health and Well-being: Evidence-Informed Recommendations for the Graduate Community” is the result of a 22-month project that began prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Unquestionably the pandemic has led to additional stress and impact to mental health, which is taken into consideration.

“We were already knowing there were rising concerns about graduate student mental health and well-being,” said Dr. Suzanne Ortega, president of CGS. “What we rapidly learned is that COVID, the police killings, the anti-Blackness waves have really amplified the stress that people were feeling.”

A new report from the Council of Graduate Schools and the Jed Foundation now finds that while graduate students face unique mental health and well-being challenges, they are underrepresented in research and in campus messaging. One recent study suggested that one-third of graduate students report symptoms consistent with post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety or depression. But in a CGS and Jed survey of institutions, only 58 percent said they had a model, framework or plan to promote the mental health and well-being of graduate students.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CGS Contact: Katherine Hazelrigg – (202) 461-3888 / khazelrigg@cgs.nche.edu

JED Contact: Manuela McDonough – (212) 647-7544 / Manuela@jedfoundation.org

Statement of Principles and Commitments Endorsed by 150+ Universities

Washington, DC – In recent years, climate surveys and research studies have demonstrated a critical need to prioritize the mental health of postsecondary students, but little information exists about programs and services designed to address the needs of master’s and doctoral students. Today, the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) and The Jed Foundation (JED) lead the way in addressing that gap with the release of data, resources, and evidence-informed recommendations.

Their report, Supporting Graduate Student Mental Health and Well-being, contextualizes the urgency of this issue and includes results from a CGS member survey, priority areas for future research, and examples of programs aligned with key recommendations. The findings and recommendations summarized in the report are intended to provide a starting point for discussion and action for all campus groups with a vested interest in the quality of graduate education, including presidents and provosts, graduate deans, department chairs, faculty members, graduate students, and funders. Also embedded in the report is a “Statement of Principles and Commitments of Graduate Deans,” which provides institutions a blueprint for action to support the academic success and well-being of all students. As of today, 150+ universities have endorsed the principles and commitments.

The release of the report marks the culmination of that 22-month project, supported by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. CGS and JED, along with a 14-person advisory committee with expertise in the field and participants in an October 2020 virtual convening, provided input and information that informed the report’s recommendations. The convening included graduate deans and students from 29 CGS member universities, disciplinary society representatives, funders of graduate education, and researchers.

Key findings in the member survey provide a sense of how universities are currently approaching graduate student mental health and well-being. While only 24% of graduate deans indicated their campus-wide strategic plan, vision, or mission statement specifically references graduate students in the member survey, 49% noted that their institutions have a taskforce or committee related to the emotional well-being of graduate students.

“Given the diversity of the graduate student population both in terms of life stage and career goals, considering the unique needs of graduate students in campus mental health plans must be a priority,” said CGS President Suzanne T. Ortega. “Establishing a shared set of values and a framework of principles and commitments is just the first step toward creating more inclusive, supportive program and campus environments and ensuring more equitable access to care. Our work with JED lays the foundation for future research on this critically important topic.”

“The findings from this project will be instrumental in moving forward with efforts to promote graduate student mental health and well-being,” said Dr. Nance Roy, chief clinical officer, The Jed Foundation and assistant clinical professor, Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine. The recommendations provide actionable steps to support graduate student mental health as well as opportunities for future study. JED is proud to have partnered with CGS on this valuable work.”

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Some foreign students earning degrees in the U.S. later join the U.S. workforce through programs such as the H-1B visa or Optional Practical Training (OPT). Between 2004 and 2016, nearly 1.5 million foreign graduates stayed in the U.S. through the OPT program. More than half in the OPT program (53%) were approved for employment in STEM fields. An analysis by the Council of Graduate Schools finds enrollment of international graduate students dropped in 2020, raising questions about the future flow of international students to STEM employment in the U.S., however.

In an attempt to combat the mental health crisis, many schools have implemented their own mental health awareness campaigns or task forcesin an attempt to combat this issue. The Council of Graduate Schools has also teamed up with a non-profit organization, the Jed Foundation, to start a 22-month initiative where they will create a foundation to support graduate student mental health and well-being, and provide an expert-guided action plan. Furthermore, many graduate students have volunteered their time to create online communities for helping fellow students with their mental health. 

“The first-time international graduate student enrolment decreases are alarming, because they undermine the international diversity and vitality of US graduate programs,” said CGS president Suzanne Ortega. 

“Between the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, particularly on health concerns and international travel, and the lack of consistent and timely direction from the Trump administration regarding international graduate student visa policy, we were prepared to see declines.” 

"CGS President Suzanne Ortega stated that the effects of COVID-19, especially the international travel restrictions and health concerns along with the lack of consistency and timely direction regarding the international graduate student visa policy by the Trump Administration, such sharp declines were expected."

New graduate numbers fell by almost 40 percent in the fall of 2020, according to a new survey by the Council of Graduate Schools. Application numbers, however, rose modestly before the Covid-19 outbreak.

A new survey of international enrollments at U.S. graduate schools found that first-time enrollment of international graduate students dropped 39 percent from fall 2019 to fall 2020, an unprecedented drop likely attributable to the COVID-19 pandemic.

PRESS RELEASE

Contact: Katherine Hazelrigg  (202) 461-3888 / khazelrigg@cgs.nche.edu

Washington, DC —The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) released new data showing that although international graduate application rates increased at U.S. universities for Fall 2020, first-time enrollment declined substantially. Final application counts from prospective international graduate students increased by 3% between Fall 2019 and Fall 2020, but first-time enrollment decreased by 39%. While the first-time enrollment at the master’s level declined (-43%) at a higher rate than at the doctoral level (-26%), the rate of decline was consistent across institutional types.

The decline in first-time enrollment resulted in part from a large increase in international graduate student deferments. To ensure a clearer picture of this trend, CGS fielded two additional surveys: the 2020 NAGAP/CGS Survey of Graduate Enrollment Management Professionals and the 2020 CGS International Graduate Admissions Supplemental Survey. More than 80% of survey respondents reported an increase in the number of newly admitted international graduate students who deferred, and a majority of those institutions indicated a greater than 5% increase in deferments overall when compared to prior years. The deferrals were relatively consistent across degree levels, with 12% of the offers of admissions deferred at the master’s and certificate level and 10% at the doctoral level.

“The first-time international graduate student enrollment decreases are alarming, because they undermine the international diversity and vitality of U.S. graduate programs. Between the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly on health concerns and international travel, and the lack of consistent and timely direction from the Trump administration regarding international graduate student visa policy, we were prepared to see declines,” said CGS President Suzanne Ortega. “Although the declines are concerning, we know our members have prioritized staying connected to both the students who deferred and their existing international graduate student community. When thinking ahead, one of the biggest lingering questions is how the deferrals will affect offers of admission and first-time enrollment for Fall 2021 and beyond, particularly if there are still travel limitations.”

Highlights by Field of Study

Across broad fields of study, international graduate applications increased at higher rates in mathematics and computer sciences (12%) and biological and agricultural sciences (10%) between Fall 2019 and Fall 2020. Regarding two of the largest broad fields of study, applications in engineering were consistent with last year’s numbers and business (-1%) decreased slightly. There were a large number of deferrals across both master’s and doctoral programs. Sixteen percent (16%) of master’s degree admission offers in engineering and 15% in mathematics and computer sciences were deferred. At the doctoral level, public administration and services (15%), biological and agricultural sciences (12%), and engineering (12%) had the largest share of offers deferred.

Highlights by Country of Origin

There were substantial decreases in first-time graduate enrollment in Asian (-47%) and Middle Eastern & North African (-36%) regions. For example, in China and India, two countries that consistently represent the largest shares of international graduate applications, first-time enrollments, and total enrollments, there were significant decreases in first-time graduate enrollment, -37% and -66%, respectively. There were less significant declines in first-time international graduate student enrollment from Canada (-5%) and Mexico (-6%), most likely due to fewer travel restrictions.

About the survey and report

Conducted since 2004, the CGS International Graduate Admissions Survey tracks the applications and enrollments of international students seeking U.S. master’s and doctoral degrees. As the only report of its kind to offer data on the current academic year, International Graduate Applications and Enrollment: Fall 2020 reports applications, admissions, and enrollments of international master’s, certificate, and doctoral students at U.S. colleges and universities. In Fall 2016, the survey was redesigned to collect data by degree objective (master’s and graduate certificate vs. doctorate), and for all seven regions of origin, eight countries of origin, and all eleven broad fields of study, yielding the only degree-level data currently available for graduate admissions and enrollments. 360 U.S. graduate institutions who are members of CGS or its regional affiliates responded to the 2020 survey.

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