International Student Enrollment Statistics for Fall 2008
as of November 17,2008

compiled by International Student and Scholar Services

Fall 2008 total international student enrollment on 11/17/2008 Fall 2007 total international student enrollment on 11/08/2007
2114 students from 92 countries, an enrollment record 1918 students from 92 countries
1045 graduate students 929 graduate students
1069 undergraduate students 989 undergraduate students

 

Fall 2008 New International Students Fall 2007 New International Students
706 new students 615 new students
332 graduate students 300 graduate students
374 undergraduate students 315 undergraduate students
These numbers include first-year dual diploma students from Turkey These numbers include first-year dual diploma students from Turkey

 

Fall 2008 International Students by Gender
Fall 2007 International Students by Gender
866 females (393 grads and 473 undergrads) 795 females (346 grads and 449 undergrads)
1248 males (652 grads and 596 undergrads) 1123 males (583 grads and 540 undergrads)

 

Fall 2008 International Students by School Fall 2007 International Students by School
School Undergraduate Graduate Total School Undergraduate Graduate Total
Harpur 510 339 849 Harpur 492 330 822
Watson 234 495 729 Watson 218 444 662
SOM 280 166 446 SOM 235 128 363
Decker 20 10 30 Decker 23 9 32
CCPA 5 8 13 CCPA 5 4 9
Education 0 6 6 Education 0 4 4
Exchange 20 10 30 Exchange 14 8 22
non-matric no assigned school 0 11 11 non matric no assigned school 2 2 4

 

Fall 2008 International Students by Top 10 Countries Fall 2007 International Students by Top 10 Countries
Country Undergraduate Graduate Total Country Undergraduate Graduate Total
Turkey 429 71 500 Turkey 438 78 516
India 35 356 391 Korea (Rep.) 278 63 341
Korea (Rep) 300 72 372 India 18 306 324
China 101 267 368 China 62 206 268
Taiwan 11 65 76 Taiwan 10 71 81
Japan 35 7 42 Japan 37 6 43
Kenya 4 24 28 United Kingdom 17 4 21
Canada 13 15 28 Kenya 0 21 21
United Kingdom 16 6 22 Hong Kong 17 4 21
Jordan 0 22 22 Canada 11 9 20


Total international student enrollment has increased by 10 percent from a year ago, for a new enrollment record.  Graduate international student enrollment has increased by 12.5 percent.  Undergraduate international student enrollment has increased by 8 percent. For the third consecutiveyear, there are more undergraduates than graduates enrolled.  The number of students from China increased by an astounding 37% this year.  Thenumber of students from India increased by nearly 21%.  For the first time, Jordan is among the top ten countries from which BU international students come.

For the fourth year, BU is counting first-year students in the Turkey Dual Diploma Program, enrolled at their Turkish Universities, in bothnew and total student enrollment.  There are 75 such students being counted for the first time in Fall 2008, reflected in these numbers.  There were86 such students in Fall 2007.

If we subtract out the first year Dual Diploma students, in order to see the growth in new, traditional international students, the results are impressive.For Fall 2008, there are a total of 631 "traditional" new international students enrolled, 299 undergraduates and 332 graduate students.  In Fall 2007, there were 529 "traditional" new international students enrolled, 229 undergraduates and 300 graduate students.  That amounts to a 19 percent increasein new international students in just one year; a 30.5 percent increase in new undergraduates and a 10.6 percent increase in new graduate students.  International recruitment efforts certainly seem to be having positive results.

The National Perspective
The State Department has issued its visa processing data for fiscal year 2008, which ended on September 30.  A record 710,631 F, M and J visas were    issued.  This is a 9% increase from FY 2007 and a 26% increase from FY 2001.  In China, 40% more F visas were approved in FY 2008 than FY 2007. In India, 60% more F visas were approved. However, the success of the US government and schools in encouraging more students from othercountries to study in the United States created an unusually large backlog of applications needing "administrative processing," also known assecurity clearances.  What had previously taken three weeks took eight weeks or more, delaying the arrival of a number of Fall students.

A joint survey conducted in October 2008 by eight leading associations of higher education of approximately 780 US institutions shows that 56% report   an increase in new international student enrollment, only 19% report a decline in total enrollment, and 25% report no change.  Of those US schools with the largest international student enrollments, including Binghamton,  78% report increases in new international students.  At Binghamton, the numbers of new graduate students and new traditional undergraduates have both increased. The same survey shows that overall internationalstudent enrollments continue to build from a year ago.  Nearly 57% report an increase in total international student enrollment, while 16%  report a decline, and 27% report no change.  

However, of significant concern is how the current global economic crisis will affect prospective international students interested in Fall 2009admission to US schools, as well as international students who are currently enrolled.  This will be closely studied in the coming months.

Information from the latest edition of Open Doors, the annual report of international academic mobility published by the Institute of International Education (IIE) was released on November 17, 2008. The report provides information on international student enrollments and study abroad forthe 2007-08 academic year (one year ago), based on data provided by more than 1700 US colleges and universities. According to Open Doors,international student enrollment at US colleges and universities for Fall 2007 increased by 7% to 623,805. 

Open Doors reports that for the third year in a row, Binghamton University is among the top 100 U.S. institutions enrolling international students, based on Fall 2007 enrollment figures.  Binghamton ranks 66th (out of more than 1700 schools reporting).  Last year, Binghamton was ranked 75th.In New York State, Binghamton ranks 8th (out of 110 schools reporting).  Last year, Binghamton ranked 9th. The top ten schools in New York Statethat enroll international students are (in descending order); New York University, Columbia University, Buffalo University, Cornell University, Stony Brook University, Syracuse University, The New School, Binghamton University, Borough of Manhattan Community College, and University of Rochester.A report on the economic benefits of international education issued by NAFSA: Association of International Educators estimates that international  students and their dependents contributed approximately $15.54 billion to the U.S. economy during the 2007-2008 academic year. 

11/17/2008