International students

International students are those who travel from their home country to study in a different one. A person can become an international student at nearly any grade level. International students study abroad for a wide range of reasons, and schools that host these students similarly have many reasons for attracting and accepting them. The number of students studying outside their home countries has increased steadily in the past several decades, which has resulted in culturally diversified schools and new global perspectives about education.

Overview

Students may study internationally as early as grade school. At the grade school and high-school levels, a typical approach is that a group of same-age students travel to the host country with a group of adult leaders. The group leaders serve as chaperones and guardians, helping the students acclimate to the host country. Becoming an international student at college level is often a more independent experience. An individual from one country can explore college and university programs in another country and choose which one to attend. Many considerations go into that decision; one is often the reputation of the schools. A prestigious academic institution can enhance an international student’s long-term work prospects (although students must also consider that, if they do not plan to stay in the country of their studies in the long term, it will be more difficult for them to network and make connections that may lead to jobs until they return home). Additionally, students will seek a quality education guided by professors who are well-respected in their fields.

Independent studying abroad of this nature can also occur at the high school level (usually at private boarding schools), though this option is generally only available to students from wealthier families. Sending a child to high school in a foreign country is often a way of preparing him or her to attend university there as well.

The benefits that international students get from studying abroad include an opportunity to immerse themselves in another culture. For most, that includes becoming proficient in the language of that culture. For example, someone studying in the United States will quickly improve his or her English skills by talking with peers and professors. Before this happens, however, the student may take a test to prove that he or she can speak the host country’s language with a certain level of proficiency. Failure to pass such a test may mean the student will not be accepted into the college or university of his or her choice. Additionally, students must demonstrate that they are in good health and have sufficient financial resources to cover school and living expenses.

In addition to the practical benefits, studying in the United States or the United Kingdom has traditionally been a source of prestige, especially for students from non-Western countries. However, this attitude has shifted as education options in countries such as China and India have expanded and improved.

Many colleges and universities welcome international students. Part of the reason may be financial, because students from other countries usually pay higher tuition rates than local students—in the United States, it is more difficult for international students to secure financial aid, and at state schools they may be charged an even higher tuition than out-of-state American students. But mostly academic institutions see having students from many countries as fulfilling their mission to promote cultural diversity. Once accepted to a foreign school, international students will need to comply with all legal requirements. Such matters are usually outlined by the student’s own government and by the administration of the host school.

In 2020, 50 percent of international students attended schools in the US, UK, Canada, and Australia. The US received the majority of its international students from China and India. The same year, because of the global coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, many international students lost campus housing, campus jobs, and, like many other students, the ability to attend school on campus. During the 2020-21 academic year, US schools saw a 72 percent decrease in new international student enrollment due. Enrollment was predicted to rise again in 2021, as COVID-19 vaccines became available and travel restrictions were lifted.

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