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India surges 40% while growth from China slows to 5%

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

The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) today reported a 10% increase in the first-time enrollment of international graduate students from 2012 to 2013, a growth that adds to 8% increases in this figure in each of the last two years. Total enrollment of international graduate students among responding institutions reached 220,000 in 2013. The findings were part of the 2013 CGS International Graduate Admissions Survey, Phase III: Final Offers of Admission and Enrollment.

Earlier phases of this year’s survey pointed to a slow-down in the growth of applications submitted by international students, which rose only 2% in 2013 and was the lowest increase in eight years.

Considering the slowed momentum in international applications, CGS President Debra W. Stewart noted that the strong growth in offers of admission and in enrollment reported by the Phase III study are encouraging signs to U.S. graduate schools. “There is no doubt that international students are eager to take advantage of the extraordinary quality of U.S. graduate institutions. The continued growth in first-time enrollment is a sign that decreasing applications have not yet damaged the strong pipeline of international graduate students.”

The survey results corroborate findings from another recent CGS report, Graduate Enrollment & Degrees: 2002-2012, which reported an 8% increase in first-time graduate enrollments among international students from fall 2011 to fall 2012 and a widening gap between U.S. and international enrollments in a number of key fields. International students now account for 15 percent of the nation’s total graduate enrollment.

Trends by country/region of origin

Substantial variations in growth were found among the sending countries and regions analyzed in the study:

• The overall trend in first-time enrollment of international graduate students for 2013 was driven in large part by students from India. The number of first-time enrollees from India increased 40% this year, substantially more than the 1% increase in 2012 and 2% increase in 2011.
• First-time enrollment among students from China increased 5% in 2013, a substantially smaller increase than the 22% surge in 2012 and 21% increase in 2011. This new finding marks the end of seven consecutive years of double-digit growth in first-time graduate enrollment of students from China. However, China continues to be the largest source of international graduate students, representing 34% of all international graduate students in the United States, according to survey respondents.
• First-time enrollment of students from Brazil increased 17% in 2013, following a 14% increase in 2012.
• By region, the first-time enrollment among students from the Middle East grew at 10%, a smaller increase than the 18% increase in 2012.
• First-time enrollment of South Korean students dipped 12% between 2012 and 2013. South Korea continues to be a leading source of international graduate students in the U.S., behind only China and India.  
• According to survey respondents, students from Europe constitute 7% of all first-time enrollments among international students in 2013, while students from Africa constitute 3%, and students from the Middle East constitute 6%.

Commenting on the trends in sending countries, Dr. Stewart said that it will be particularly important to monitor the enrollment patterns of students from the countries that send the largest number of international students to U.S. graduate schools—China, India, and South Korea. “While the substantial increase in first-time enrollments of Indian students is positive, the fluctuation in India enrollment in recent years makes it difficult to confirm a definite trend. Taken with slowed growth in first-time enrollments from China, and the persistent declines in first-time enrollments of South Korean students, I don’t think we can count on any single country to sustain the strong participation of international students that U.S. graduate schools have enjoyed in the past.”

Trends by broad field of study

International graduate students continue to enroll in fields that have been traditionally popular among this population. The two most popular fields among international students are physical and earth sciences, which includes mathematics and computer sciences, and engineering: together they comprised 47 percent of all international graduate student enrollment in 2013, according to survey respondents. Changes in first-time enrollment by field are shown in the table below.

*includes Mathematics and Computer Sciences

Trends by location of study and institution type

International first-time graduate enrollment increased at public institutions (11%) as well as private, not-for-profit institutions (8%) in 2013. All four major regions of the United States saw growth in first-time graduate enrollment in 2013, with increases of 17% in the West, 12% in the Midwest, 9% in the Northeast, and 7% in the South.

Institutions awarding larger numbers of graduate degrees to international students were less likely to experience increases in international first-time graduate enrollment in 2013 than institutions awarding smaller numbers of graduate degrees to international students. This is a reversal from 2012, in which first-time enrollment among international graduate students was larger at institutions awarding larger numbers of graduate degrees to international students than institutions awarding smaller numbers of graduate degrees to international students. First-time enrollment increased an average of 9% at the responding institutions among the 100 largest in terms of graduate degrees awarded to international students, compared with a 14% average increase at the institutions outside the largest 100.

About the report

Findings from the 2013 CGS International Graduate Admissions Survey, Phase III: Final Offers of Admission and Enrollment is based on the third 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 56%, including 76 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. Overall, the 285 institutions responding to the Phase III survey conferred 66% of the approximately 103,000 graduate degrees awarded to international students in the United States in 2010/11.

Survey of recent alumni reveals strong income and employment results

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

Washington, DC – Recent graduates of Professional Science Master’s (PSM) degree programs are reporting strong rates of employment and high income levels, according to the results of the third annual PSM Student Outcomes Survey released by the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS). The report tracks initial hiring trends and perceived satisfaction among graduates of PSM degree programs between 2010 and 2013. The study was supported with funding from the Sloan Foundation.

The PSM is an innovative graduate degree designed to allow students to pursue advanced training in science or mathematics, while simultaneously developing workplace skills highly valued by employers. PSM programs prepare graduates for careers in business, government, and non-profit organizations, combining rigorous study in science and/or mathematics with coursework in management, policy, law and related fields. Most PSM programs require a final project or team experience, as well as a “real-world” internship in a business or public sector enterprise.

According to the survey, 78 percent of respondents who graduated during the 2012-13 academic year were employed during the time at which the survey was conducted, despite beginning their careers in a challenging job market. The employment rate was even stronger for those who completed PSM degrees earlier in the study period: 91 percent of 2010-11 graduates and 88 percent of 2011-12 graduates were employed.  

Among the respondents who graduated during the 2012-13 academic year and were employed at the time of the survey, 91 percent were working in a job that is closely or somewhat related to their field of study. Employed respondents were overwhelmingly working in full-time positions (95%) as opposed to part-time (5%).   

Two-thirds (68%) of PSM graduates who were working full-time reported earning above $50,000 a year, and 72 percent of all survey respondents are very satisfied or generally satisfied with the post-graduation employment prospects provided by their PSM degree.

According to CGS President Debra W. Stewart, these high returns on students’ educational investment are a hallmark of PSM programs. “We continue to see outstanding prospects for new PSM graduates as they begin their careers. The real-world experience they gained in applied professional settings during their academic program gives PSM students a distinct advantage in the job market.” Dr. Stewart added, “The fact that PSM graduates have shown strong employment outcomes for each year of this three-year study is encouraging, because it shows that employers are consistently recognizing the value of these newly-minted degree holders.”

The survey report includes data on the reasons students enrolled in PSM programs, their experiences and satisfaction with them, their current employment status, salaries, and the perceived value of a PSM degree. Key findings include:
 

• 83% of 2012-13 PSM graduates were very satisfied or generally satisfied with the distinctive nature/reputation of the program and 82% were very satisfied or generally satisfied with the quality of their non-scientific and/or mathematical professional training (a key element of PSM degrees).
• Among 2012-13 PSM graduates who were employed, 66% were working in business/industry (including start-ups), about 11% were working in government, 9% in academia, 8% in non-profit organizations, and 6% were working in other fields, including research and health care.
• Among 2012-13 PSM graduates in new jobs, 19% secured that employment because of their PSM internship.
• Two attributes of PSM programs that stood out as being of particularly high value to recent graduates were the internships and ‘real world’ experiences, and the quality of scientific and/or mathematical training.

Created in 1997 with support from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, PSM programs are offered at 137 institutions of higher education, as of August 2013. Well over 5,000 PSM degrees have been conferred since the program’s inception. The PSM degree model has been so successful that it was included in the America COMPETES Act, allowing institutions the opportunity to use federal funds to support a PSM program.

The full report, Outcomes for PSM Alumni 2012/13, is available here. More information about the PSM can be found at http://sciencemasters.com.

Domestic Enrollment Still a Concern, Especially in STEM Fields

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

Washington, DC — The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) reported today a 1.8% increase in first-time enrollment between fall 2011 and fall 2012. More than 461,000 students enrolled for the first time in graduate certificate, education specialist, master’s, or doctoral programs for the fall 2012, according to institutions responding to the CGS/GRE Survey of Graduate Enrollment and Degrees, an annual survey that has been conducted since 1986.

Despite the gains in first-time enrollment, total graduate enrollment fell 2.3% following a 0.8% decline in the previous year. Total graduate enrollment was nearly 1.74 million students in fall 2012.

Institutions responding to the survey received nearly 1.98 million applications for admission to fall 2012 graduate programs. Applications rose 3.9% between fall 2011 and fall 2012. The overall acceptance rate was slightly lower than the previous year, with 39.5% of applications resulting in offers of admission for fall 2012. As CGS also reported last year, the fact that first-time enrollment trends have not matched the growth in applications may be a sign that many qualified students who wish to attend graduate school are faced with obstacles to enrolling.

First-time graduate enrollment of temporary residents increased 8% between fall 2011 and fall 2012, according to survey respondents, up slightly from the 7.8% increase in fall 2011. In contrast, the growth in first-time graduate enrollment for U.S. citizens and permanent residents between fall 2011 and fall 2012 was essentially stagnant at 0.6%. In fall 2012, more than one-half (54.7%) of all temporary resident graduate students were enrolled in engineering, mathematics and computer sciences, physical and earth sciences, or biological and agricultural sciences. Only 17.3% of U.S. citizens/permanent residents were enrolled in these fields.

CGS President Debra W. Stewart viewed the data for first-time graduate enrollment with cautious optimism. “It’s certainly good news that the number of new students enrolling in U.S. graduate programs is trending upward. However the trend must accelerate if we are to gain ground against previous losses.” Stewart added that this is particularly the case for domestic students. “An increase of less than one percent in first-time enrollment for domestic students is worrisome given that the U.S. economy will have an increasing need for highly-skilled talent in order to thrive. Our country must do more to address the economic factors, like student debt, that discourage many students from enrolling in U.S. graduate programs.”

One piece of encouraging news contained in the report is that first-time enrollment for underrepresented minorities has increased. Among survey respondents, first-time graduate enrollment rose 7.4% for Hispanic/Latinos, 5.7% for American Indians/Alaska Natives, and 4.6% for Blacks/African Americans between fall 2011 and fall 2012.

Other report findings include: 

Trends by field

• The largest one-year changes in graduate applications between fall 2011 and fall 2012 occurred in mathematics and computer sciences (11.1%), health sciences (9.6%), and engineering (9.3%).
• Applications to graduate programs in business rose 0.7% between fall 2011 and fall 2012, much slower than the 4.3% growth in the previous year.
• First-time enrollment in education programs grew 2.5% for fall 2012, compared to a sharp drop of 8.8% in fall 2011.
• The largest fields by total enrollment were education and business, respectively accounting for 20% and 16% of total graduate enrollment at responding institutions in fall 2012.

Trends by degree level

• About 74% of all graduate students in fall 2012 were enrolled in programs leading to a master’s degree or a graduate certificate, according to survey respondents.
• Responding institutions awarded approximately 67,200 doctoral degrees, 540,000 master’s degrees, and 31,900 graduate certificates in 2011-12.
• Between fall 2011 and fall 2012, first-time enrollment increased by 5.0% at the doctoral level and 1.2% at the master’s level.

Student demographics

• About 58% of all first-time graduate students in fall 2012 were women, according to survey respondents.
• According to survey respondents, women earned nearly two-thirds of the graduate certificates, 60% of the master’s degrees, and 52% of the doctorates. Academic year 2011-12 marked the fourth straight year women earned a majority of doctoral degrees.
• Over the 2011-2012 period, first-time enrollment for Whites fell by 0.9%.

About the report

Graduate Enrollment and Degrees: 2002 to 2012 presents the findings of an annual survey of U.S. graduate schools, co-sponsored by CGS and the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) Board. It is the only annual national survey that covers enrollment in all fields of graduate study and is the only source of national data on graduate applications. The report includes responses from 675 institutions, which collectively confer about 73% of the master’s degrees and 91% of the doctorates awarded each year. The survey report presents statistics on graduate applications and enrollment for fall 2012, degrees conferred in 2011-12, and trend data for one-, five- and ten-year periods.

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.

Contacts:
Julia Kent, CGS: (202) 223-3791
John McCool, TIAA-CREF: (888) 200-4062

Washington, DC – The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) today announced awards to 15 universities to develop financial education programs for graduate and undergraduate students. The grants were awarded as part of the groundbreaking CGS best practice program, Enhancing Student Financial Education, co-sponsored by TIAA-CREF, a leading financial services provider. The program comes at a time when public funding for higher education has declined, and the costs associated with higher education continue to rise.

Awardees will work in collaboration with CGS and TIAA-CREF to design programs that prepare students to play an active role in managing their personal finances and making informed decisions about saving, spending and borrowing. The institutions will address the needs of different groups of students, while considering factors such as their fields of study, degree levels and chosen career pathways, each of which has significant financial ramifications.

By surveying and measuring the effectiveness of each school’s programming, the project will enable CGS to develop best practices for improving financial education among college students and graduate students. These findings will be made widely available to the higher education community through interactive tools and resources over the next two years.

The selection of awardees was made through a competitive proposal process involving an independent selection committee of experts in higher education reforms and financial education. The institutions selected to receive funding are:

• Arkansas State University
• Cornell University
• Eastern Illinois University
• Florida A&M University
• Iowa State University
• Kansas State University
• Loyola University Chicago
• Mississippi State University
• The Ohio State University
• University of Colorado System
• University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• University of Kentucky
• University of Maryland, Baltimore County
• University of South Florida
• Winthrop University

An additional 19 universities will participate in the project as affiliate partners.

CGS President Debra W. Stewart lauded the field of proposals, noting that the project addresses an area of leading concern for graduate deans, according to an annual survey of CGS members. “In collaboration with a range of stakeholders at their institutions, the graduate community is stepping up to help students prepare for the financial challenges of college life and beyond,” Stewart said. “Universities recognize that money management skills are no longer optional. They’re essential for academic success as students work more, borrow more, and balance more family obligations with their studies.”

“By working together, universities and the private sector are uniquely well-positioned to provide students with the tools and resources they need to effectively manage their financial futures,” said Roger W. Ferguson, Jr., President and Chief Executive Officer of TIAA-CREF. “Working with CGS, we are proud to partner with schools across the nation to help put students on a path toward fiscal responsibility and financial well-being.”

Proposal evaluation took into consideration the innovations each university will develop to engage and address the needs of different groups of students and considered factors such as degree level, field of study, chosen career path and student demographics. A project’s potential to successfully engage students was also key. Institutions that submitted proposals were asked to provide detailed plans for using online tools, social media, digital solutions and face-to-face interaction to foster student participation.

“Sharing sound advice isn’t enough to help students gain confidence in their financial skills,” said Daniel Denecke, principal investigator for the project and CGS Associate Vice President of Programs and Best Practices. “Undergraduate and graduate students, especially those in the millennial generation, are more likely to respond to personally relevant information than generic advice. This project will make an impact by engaging students and helping them to develop financial strategies to achieve their career goals. And the variety of institutions taking the national lead on this issue, both as awardees and as affiliates, ensures that successful strategies will be relevant and replicable across the higher education community.”

Data collection for the project will begin October 2013 with a baseline survey of student financial knowledge, attitudes and behaviors. A control group of students will be surveyed to measure the effectiveness of interventions, and a post-program survey will examine the progress made by students who participated in the project curriculum and outreach. A survey of financial standing will gather information about household income, savings and borrowing to study how these factors influence students’ financial skills.

More information about the project is available at Enhancing Student Financial Education.

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

Washington, DC — The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) today released the results of its pilot study of completion and attrition trends in master’s programs in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The CGS study, which was made possible by a grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, is the largest of its kind, using data from five institutions to describe completion and attrition rates in STEM master’s programs and MBA programs, and investigating the factors that contribute to the successful completion of the degree. The findings of the project are documented in a new CGS publication, Completion and Attrition in STEM Master’s Programs: Pilot Study Findings.

According to the study, 41 percent of STEM master’s students completed their program of study within two years, while 60 percent completed within three years, and 66 percent completed within four years. With respect to attrition rates, 10 percent of STEM master’s students left their program of study after six months; 17 percent left after one year; and 23 percent left after two years. The median time-to-degree for students in STEM programs was 23 months, and median time-to-attrition was eight months.

Completion rates are on the rise

Completion rates in STEM master’s programs improved gradually between the academic years of 2003-04 and 2006-07. As shown in Figure 1 below, cumulative rates of completion by individual student cohorts increased by six to eight percentage points during the period studied.

According to CGS President Debra W. Stewart, the steady climb in completion rates should be applauded by graduate education stakeholders, but she cautioned that work remains to be done. “Students are investing several years of their lives in graduate programs in order to develop their potential and become leaders in the workforce,” Stewart said. “In turn, graduate schools are making commitments to support their students with academic and career advising programs; employers are providing incentives and financial resources to develop their human capital; and family members are offering emotional support to keep their students on track throughout the rigors of graduate coursework. And yet completion rates in STEM fields, as they appear in this pilot study, are far from optimal, as compared, for example, to MBA completion rates.”

Figure 1. Cumulative Completion Rates by Student Cohort, STEM

Comparisons between STEM, MBA

STEM fields were chosen as the focus of the study due to their close association with innovation, job creation, and positive employment outcomes for degree holders. Masters of Business Administration (MBA) programs were also included in the study as a basis of comparison.

According to the study, 67 percent of MBA students completed their program after two years, compared with 41 percent of STEM students. By years three and four, STEM students continued to trail behind the MBA students, completing at the rates of 60 percent by year three (as compared to 81 percent for the MBA), and 66 percent by year four (compared to 86 percent). The median time-to-degree is almost identical for both types of programs: 23 months for STEM master’s programs and 21 months for MBA programs.

Factors contributing to completion and attrition

The most important factor identified as contributing to the successful completion of a master’s program were motivation and determination, cited by 92 percent of graduating students surveyed. Non-financial family support and pursuing graduate study full-time were tied for second at 82 percent each.

The factor most likely to lead to the inability of a student to earn a master’s degree was interference from employment, cited by 40 percent of respondents. When asked about their future plans, 62 percent of students who had stopped out or dropped out of their programs said they intended to continue working in their current jobs.

Among students who reported having concerns about their ability to complete the degree, the most frequently mentioned source of concern was finding the time required to manage school, work and family commitments. Eighteen percent of first-year students cited concerns with their school/work/life balance. With respect to employment in particular, respondents were worried about balancing work priorities with the demands of schoolwork, noting that job responsibilities received the highest priority.

About the Master’s Completion Project

CGS began an exploratory study on the topic of master’s completion and attrition in 2009 and launched the current pilot study in November 2010 with funding provided by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.  Elizabeth Boylan, Program Director at the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation commented, “This pilot study is a milestone in understanding master’s education in STEM fields. It represents the Foundation’s commitment to assisting institutions to better understand the progress of students to their degrees, and then into the STEM workforce that is essential to America’s economic and scientific competitiveness.”

Five institutions were selected through a competitive process to participate as research partners for the study: Loyola University Chicago, Purdue University, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Texas A&M University, and Wright State University. For more about the Master’s Completion Project, please visit http://www.cgsnet.org/masters-completion-project.

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.

Deadline:  March 1, 2013

Eligibility: Eligible candidates will need to have received the doctoral degree by June 1, 2013.

Duration: 12-18 months

The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) invites applications from social sciences and educational research scholars who have been awarded the PhD or equivalent in the past two to three years. The fellowship is designed to provide a highly accomplished early career professional with research and communications experience in the area of graduate education. Specific responsibilities and opportunities will be tailored to the field expertise and the career ambitions of the successful candidate, but will be divided across existing CGS research projects, such as those concerning attrition and completion, financial education, enrollment and degrees, and research ethics, among others.

The postdoc will have opportunities to attend meetings and conferences relevant to his or her work at CGS. Salary will be competitive for the Washington, DC area.

The Council of Graduate Schools, the national voice for the graduate dean community, is the only organization in the United States that is dedicated solely to the advancement of graduate education and research. CGS accomplishes its mission through advocacy in the policy arena, innovative research, and the development and dissemination of best practices. CGS also acts as a convening authority, organizing major events that bring together graduate deans and other stakeholders to discuss and take action on a broad range of issues affecting graduate education today. CGS membership includes over 500 universities in the United States and Canada, and 25 universities outside the U.S. and Canada. Collectively, CGS institutions annually award more than 92 percent of all U.S. doctorates and over 81 percent of all U.S. master's degrees.

Application and Nomination Process

Applications must be emailed to Keith Peregonov at kperegonov@cgs.nche.edu or submitted through the CGS Career Portal. Please include a letter of interest, a resume or c.v., and three references with an email address and telephone numbers. Electronic submissions (MS Word or Adobe PDF) are strongly preferred. For full consideration, please ensure that your application is received by March 1, 2013. To learn more about CGS, please visit www.cgsnet.org.

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

Washington, D.C. (February 7, 2013) – The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) today released the results of its third annual Professional Science Master’s Enrollment and Degrees Survey documenting applications, enrollments, and degrees awarded in Professional Science Master’s (PSM) programs. The PSM is an innovative graduate degree designed to allow students to pursue advanced training in science or mathematics, while simultaneously developing workplace skills highly valued by employers.

Total Enrollment:

• Total enrollment in PSM programs topped 5,800 students in 2012.
• Total enrollment increased by 22% overall between 2010 and 2012 and by 10% at the PSM programs that responded to the 2010, 2011, and the 2012 surveys.
• Men comprised 55% of all PSM students and women made up 45%.
• 15% of total PSM students enrolled in U.S.-based institutions were temporary residents.
• Among U.S. citizens and permanent residents, 25% of enrollees in the fall of 2012 were underrepresented minorities.
• Total PSM enrollment in fall 2012 was dominated by four fields of study: computer/information sciences (21%), biotechnology (16%), environmental sciences and natural resources (14%), or mathematics and statistics (14%).

• Just over 1,750 PSM degrees were awarded in academic year 2011/12.
• 52% of PSM degrees awarded by respondents in academic year 2011/12 were awarded to men and 48% to women.
• 17% of graduates of U.S.-based PSM programs were international students.
• Among U.S. citizens and permanent residents, 23% of PSM graduates in 2011/12 were underrepresented minorities.
• Biotechnology and computer/information sciences awarded 42% of all PSM degrees awarded: 22% and 20%, respectively.
• Men earned the majority of the PSM degrees awarded in chemistry and physics, geosciences and GIS, other interdisciplinary sciences, bioinformatics/computational biology, and mathematics and statistics.
• Women earned the majority of the degrees granted in medical-related sciences, biology/biotechnology, and “other interdisciplinary” fields.

The report is available in pdf format at cgsnet.org and at sciencemasters.com.