The latest data shows that the United States remains the top choice for international students worldwide, with the most significant increase in undergraduate enrollment. In the 2024/2025 academic year, the US received a total of 1.2 million international students, a 5% increase from the previous year, reaching a historic high. The highest number of international students come from China and India.
The Institute of International Education (IIE) released the “Open Doors 2024-2025 Report” on Monday, revealing new trends in the student population. While the number of graduate students pursuing master’s or doctoral degrees decreased for the first time after three consecutive years of growth, dropping by 3% to 488,481, the undergraduate enrollment reached 357,231, a 4% increase, marking the first significant growth in undergraduate enrollment since the outbreak of the COVID pandemic.
The number of international students participating in Optional Practical Training (OPT) reached 294,253, a 21% increase from the previous year. More than half (57%) of international students chose to study in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields.
IIE President and CEO Jason Czyz highlighted the important role international students play in driving innovation, promoting academic development, and enhancing cross-cultural understanding.
India remains the largest source country for international students studying in the US. In the 2024/2025 academic year, the US enrolled 363,019 Indian students, a 10% increase from the previous year. China followed with 265,919 students, a 4% decrease.
Among the top 25 countries sending international students, 12 countries saw record-high numbers of students, including Bangladesh, Canada, Colombia, Ghana, India, Italy, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Spain, and Vietnam.
International students are spread across all 50 states in the US. Texas (8% increase, adding 7,497 students), Illinois (7% increase, adding 4,336 students), and Missouri (11% increase, adding 3,694 students) saw the largest growth in international student numbers among the 45 states with increased total international enrollments.
The majority of international students (59%) attend public institutions, with community colleges experiencing the fastest growth at 8%.
However, the number of new international students for the fall semester of 2025 dropped by 17%. Compared to the previous academic year, 277,118 international students were admitted in the fall of 2024.
More than 825 US higher education institutions reported enrollment data for international students for the fall semester of the 2025/2026 academic year. This is only preliminary data.
These institutions reported a 1% decrease in the total number of international students for the fall of 2025, a 2% increase in undergraduate enrollments, and a 12% decrease in graduate enrollments. The number of OPT participants continued to grow, with a 14% increase.
Previously, due to geopolitical tensions, the number of Chinese students studying in the US had decreased.
During the summer, the Trump administration ordered a one-month suspension of visa interviews, followed by strengthened reviews and reduced interview appointments.
The report found that universities are still striving to attract international students. More than half of the surveyed institutions allowed foreign students to defer their enrollment to the fall of 2026, and most stated their commitment to continue recruiting international students.
Over 80% of the surveyed institutions believe that international students are crucial to campus multicultural environment, while 60% said that the economic contribution of foreign students is very important. Most international students are required to pay full tuition, making significant financial contributions to the institutions.
International students make up 6% of the total higher education enrollment in the US. According to the US Department of Commerce, in 2024, international students contributed nearly $55 billion to the US economy, and according to NAFSA, they created over 355,000 jobs in the US.
Last week, President Trump stated that foreign students coming to study in the US are a “good thing” and dismissed suggestions of reducing their numbers.
He expressed his hope of bringing in over 600,000 Chinese university students to study in the US within the next two years, increasing the annual visa issuance to Chinese students from the current 300,000 to 600,000.
“Open Doors” is a data project sponsored by the US Department of State, funded by the US government, and supported by the Institute of International Education. Founded in 1919, the institute is a nonprofit organization dedicated to researching international students.