First-time enrollments of international students at U.S. graduate schools increased by 4 percent in fall 2019 compared to the previous fall, according to new survey results from the Council of Graduate Schools. Applications from prospective international graduate students also increased by 3 percent.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                  

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

While overall rates are up, some universities continue to see declines

Washington, DC —The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) has published new data showing that international graduate application and first-time enrollment rates have increased at U.S. universities for the first time since Fall 2016. For Fall 2019, the final application counts from prospective international students increased by 3%, and the first-time enrollment of international graduate students increased by 4%. The proportion of first-time international graduate enrollment in master’s and certificate programs (75%) vs. doctoral programs (25%) has remained roughly the same.

The growth is driven primarily by increases in applications (3%) and first-time enrollment (4%) to master’s and certificate programs. While the overall increases are welcome news, some institutions did not see more student interest. For Doctoral Universities with Highest Research Activity (R1) and Master’s Colleges and Universities and Other Institutions (M1-3), applications and first-time enrollment increased across the board. However, for Doctoral Universities with Higher or Moderate Research Activity (R2 & R3), first-time enrollment declined in doctoral programs (-6%) and stagnated in master’s and certificate programs (-1%).

“We are pleased to see that the overall application and first-time enrollment numbers for international graduate students are on the rise. Our member universities work hard to ensure a welcoming environment for students and scholars from across the globe,” said CGS President Suzanne Ortega. “We remain vigilant, however, in monitoring obstacles, including the latest Executive Order “travel ban” and other changes in immigration and visa policy, that may negatively impact our ability to attract talented students from around the world.”

Highlights by Country of Origin

China and India continue to represent the largest shares of international graduate applications, first-time international graduate enrollments, and total international graduate enrollments. Between Fall 2018 and Fall 2019, the number of graduate applications and first-time graduate enrollments for Chinese nationals increased by 3%.

This is the second consecutive year of strong growth in graduate applications (11%) and first-time enrollments (22%) from sub-Saharan African students to U.S. graduate schools. While after two years of decline, applications (4%) and first-time enrollments (10%) from Mexican nationals rose.

Highlights by Field of Study

Across broad fields of study, international graduate applications increased in arts and humanities (6%), health sciences (7%), mathematics and computer sciences (7%), and biological and agricultural sciences (14%) between Fall 2018 and Fall 2019. By contrast, applications in engineering (-2%) and business (-3%), two of the largest broad fields of study, decreased. The largest one-year increases in first-time international graduate enrollment by broad field of study were in mathematics and computer sciences (11%), social and behavioral sciences (11%), and biological and agricultural sciences (10%).

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 2019 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. 403 U.S. graduate institutions who are members of CGS or its regional affiliates responded to the 2019 survey.

###

Figure 1: Total International Graduate Applications and First-time Enrollment by Degree Type, Fall 2016 to Fall 2019 (Excel, JPEG)

Figure 2: One-year Change in International Graduate Applications and First-time Enrollment by Degree Objective and Institutional Type between Fall 2018 and Fall 2019 (Excel, JPEG)

Figure 3: One-year Change in International Graduate Applications & First-time Enrollment by Selected Country & Region of Origin between Fall 2018 and Fall 2019 (Excel, JPEG)

Figure 4: One-year Change in International Graduate Applications and First-time Enrollment by Selected Field of Study between Fall 2018 and Fall 2019 (Excel, JPEG)

Table A1: Annual Changes in Final International Graduate Applications by Region/Country of Origin, Fall 2012 to Fall 2019 Admission Cycles (Excel, JPEG)

Table A2: Annual Changes in First-time International Graduate Enrollment by Region/Country of Origin, Fall 2012 to Fall 2019 Admission Cycles (Excel, JPEG)

Table A3: Annual Changes in Final International Graduate Applications by Field of Study, Fall 2012 to Fall 2019 Admission Cycles (Excel, JPEG)

Table A4: Annual Changes in First-time International Graduate Enrollment by Field of Study, Fall 2012 to Fall 2019 Admission Cycles (Excel, JPEG)

Table B1: Final International Graduate Applications by Region/Country of Origin, Fall 2019 Admission Cycle (Excel, JPEG)

Table B2: Offers of Admission to International Graduate Applicants by Region/Country of Origin, Fall 2019 Admission Cycle (Excel, JPEG)

Table B3: First-time International Graduate Enrollment by Region/Country of Origin, Fall 2019 Admission Cycle (Excel, JPEG)

Table B4: Total International Graduate Enrollment by Region/Country of Origin, Fall 2019 Admission Cycle (Excel, JPEG)

Table C1: Final International Graduate Applications by Field of Study, Fall 2019 Admission Cycle (Excel, JPEG)

Table C2: Offers of Admission to International Graduate Applicants by Field of Study, Fall 2019 Admission Cycle (Excel, JPEG)

Table C3: First-time International Graduate Enrollment by Field of Study, Fall 2019 Admission Cycle (Excel, JPEG)

Table C4: Total International Graduate Enrollment by Field of Study, Fall 2019 Admission Cycle (Excel, JPEG)

Table D1: Characteristics of Institutions with Valid Responses for the First-time Enrollment Fall 2019 (Excel, JPEG)

On February 10, the Trump Administration released its Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 Budget proposal outlining federal funding priorities. “We are troubled by the direction the Administration’s budget takes with respect to certain programs that support graduate education, research, and scholarship,” said Suzanne T. Ortega, president of the Council of Graduate Schools. “The national agenda requires strengthened investments that will propel the country’s academic and innovative success. Unfortunately, the proposal calls for scaling back or complete elimination of federal support that promotes access to graduate education, bolsters the research enterprise, and augments scholarship for a variety of disciplines within STEM and the arts and humanities.”

The budget would eliminate the Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need, the Fulbright-Hays program, and the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. It would also eliminate the National Endowment for the Humanities.  Additionally, new annual and lifetime limits would be placed on graduate student borrowing, which has the potential to disenfranchise some students from being able to finance their education.  Cuts to several agencies that provide research grants to CGS institutions, including the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Energy, and others, would stymie innovations that impact technology, public health, and national security.

CGS is committed to working in a bipartisan fashion with House and Senate appropriators in the coming months to ensure that graduate education and research receive strong investments in FY 2021.

On January 31, the Trump Administration announced that it would be placing travel restrictions on six additional countries. This presidential proclamation expands upon the administration’s 2017 “travel ban” to now include Eritrea, Kyrgyzstan, Nigeria, Myanmar, Sudan, and Tanzania. Executive Order 13780 will impose restrictions on immigrants from these countries traveling to the United States effective February 21, 2020. It should be noted that the scope of the restrictions is country specific. Non-immigrant visas, including student visas and H-1B worker visas are not expected to be restricted, however CGS is concerned about the consequences a policy of this nature creates. 

“While the U.S. must remain diligent in safeguarding national security, instituting a policy such as the expanded travel ban undoubtedly challenges our ability as a nation to provide a welcoming environment that embraces our international graduate student community,” said Suzanne T. Ortega, president of the Council of Graduate Schools. “Talented individuals from across the globe are significant contributors to our country’s intellectual and economic success, and it is imperative that their contributions are recognized and valued. We should provide a stable and supportive environment, not one in which the goal posts may move in an untoward direction with little notice.”

According to CGS data, there were over 84,000 international first-time enrollees in graduate programs at CGS member institutions in Fall of 2018. CGS issued a statement in January 2017 in response to the White House’s issuance of the travel ban and in March 2017 following a revision to the Executive Order.

Many CGS member institutions are responding to events surrounding the recent Coronavirus outbreak, which may impact both international students coming to the U.S. as well as domestic students studying abroad. CGS members can find regularly updated information about the virus and travel precautions from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of State. CGS members are also encouraged to engage in dialogue with other members on CGS’s Dean’s Discussion Board on this topic, where members can share what their campuses are doing to address challenges related to restricted travel and administering entrance exams, for example.

On January 28, CGS submitted comments to the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy in response to a Request for Information (RFI) regarding actions federal agencies can take to maximize the quality and effectiveness of the American research environment. CGS addressed several major themes related to graduate education that were outlined in the RFI, including research rigor and integrity, coordinating administrative requirements for research, research security, and safe and inclusive research environments.

2019 Sees Rebound in New International Graduate Students

Forbes (2/12/2020)

After two consecutive years of declines in international graduate student applications and first-time enrollments, U.S. institutions reported increases in both categories for 2019. That’s the key takeaway from a just-released survey of American graduate schools conducted by the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS).

New International Enrollments Climb at U.S. Grad Schools

Inside Higher Ed (2/12/2020)

First-time enrollments of international students at U.S. graduate schools increased by 4 percent in fall 2019 compared to the previous fall, according to new survey results from the Council of Graduate Schools. Applications from prospective international graduate students also increased by 3 percent.

Participate in a New Survey on Ph.D. Mental Health

The Chronicle of Higher Education (1/26/2020)

And graduate educators have started to pay attention. Recently the Council of Graduate Schools announced a multiyear study to learn more about mental health and wellness in doctoral training, and to find workable solutions

And graduate educators have started to pay attention. Recently the Council of Graduate Schools announced a multiyear study to learn more about mental health and wellness in doctoral training, and to find workable solutions.

Fill out the form below to join the CGS News Network newsletter, which features up-to-date information on all CGS projects as well as other news from the graduate education community. You will receive a confirmation email upon successful submission, but you will remain on this page. Please click the "Submit" button only once to avoid duplication.