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.

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.

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.

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.

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Washington, DC, and New York, NY– The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS), the only national association of universities devoted to graduate education and research, and TIAA‐CREF, a leading financial services provider, today rolled out the first phase of a three‐year best practice program designed to improve the financial acumen of graduate and undergraduate students, including debt management skills. Marking the launch of the project announced last fall, CGS released a Request for Proposals (RFP) to all U.S.‐based CGS member institutions.

Through the RFP process, universities and colleges will compete for funding to design financial education programs that prepare students to play an active role in managing their personal finances and make better and more informed decisions about saving, spending, investing and borrowing. Together with CGS and TIAA‐CREF, the selected institutions will develop, assess, promote and share tools and resources for enhancing student financial literacy.

The program will address the diverse needs of students while considering factors such as their socioeconomic backgrounds, fields of study, degree levels and chosen career pathways, each of which has significant financial ramifications. It will also provide students with basic financial education skills to help them plan how to fund their college educations and align students with career paths that could ultimately enable them to repay their college loans. Tools and resources will be made available to all CGS member institutions over the course of the three‐year project, and CGS will publish a best practice guide at the end of the three years.

“Student loan debt is a complex problem, and there are no easy solutions. But we know that increased financial education must be part of the solution,” said Debra W. Stewart, president of CGS. “Today’s students are financially dissimilar to any previous generation. As family income has dropped and public funding for student support has declined, the costs associated with higher education have risen. At both the graduate and undergraduate levels, students carry unprecedented debt burdens. This collaboration among CGS, TIAA‐CREF and universities and colleges aims to confront head on the growing student debt crisis.”

Starting this spring, a selection committee will begin the review process, evaluating proposals based on various criteria, including institutional commitment, the potential of the project to successfully engage students and the quality of the institution’s action plan. All U.S. CGS member institutions are eligible to apply for awards. Priority will be given to proposals from institutions that can provide evidence of the project’s potential to have a direct impact on a significant number of graduate and undergraduate students. Institutions not selected to receive awards will be invited to participate as program affiliates. Affiliate institutions will have access to tools and resources developed by the program and will be invited to share information about their activities.

Applications must be received by CGS no later than May 31, 2013. Awards will be announced by June 30, 2013, for projects that will be implemented in fall 2013 and conclude by June 30, 2015.

More information is available on the CGS website, www.cgsnet.org.

Contacts: Julia Kent, CGS: (202) 223‐3791 / jkent@cgs.nche.edu
John McCool, TIAA‐CREF: (888) 200‐4062 / media@tiaa‐cref.org