Upturn in International Applications

After declining during the pandemic, international student enrollments at US universities are at their highest year-on-year growth in 40 years according to The Institute of International Education’s latest Open Doors report. The annual research results, which highlight trends and forecasts in higher education, reveal that for the 2022-23 school year, just over 1,057,000 international students from 210 places of origin enrolled in 3,800 institutions. This 12% increase creates interesting considerations for international students as demographics continue to shift. 

The rise in international enrollments can be linked to multiple factors, but a primary one is universities’ investment in international recruitment. Among the responding institutions, 85% report that they continue to prioritize funding for these programs. Additionally, Common Application member schools are seeking help in “targeting and attracting racially diverse applicants,” according to Robert Massa, Vice President Emeritus for Enrollment at Dickinson College in Pennsylvania. 

Furthermore, traditional barriers to all enrollments continue to fall as thousands of universities continue their pandemic-era, test-optional admissions policies, with some moving toward a test-free process. With the lifting of strict SAT or ACT testing requirements and a focus on recruitment, international undergraduate enrollment grew 14% to reach levels unmatched since pre-pandemic levels. Given the relaxation of testing requirements, Ivy Options believes that submitting a strong test score provides a definite admissions advantage for international students. 

In the UK, UCAS reports that in 2022, 125,820 students applied from outside the EU, a 14% increase from the previous year. The number of international students in the UK reached a total of 559,825 in 2023, representing a 23.7% increase – an all-time high. UCAS forecasts a 46% international undergraduate applicant rise to UK institutions through its portal by 2026, creating a highly competitive process for enrollment offers. 

With only six percent of all current US university students classified as international, it is clear that US higher education institutions have more room for international enrollment growth as compared with universities in the UK and Canada, where internationals comprise 22% and 30% of all students, respectively. Therefore, we expect US universities to continue cultivating the enrollment of international students.

What can current international high school students do to take advantage of these trends? First, remember that academic performance is the number one priority for admissions officers. Choosing a rigorous course load in high school demonstrates an ability to be academically successful in your chosen university program. An impressive standardized test score adds further evidence of readiness. Next build a stellar profile of experiences outside the classroom to bolster your application.

Finally, it can be beneficial to apply strategically as an early decision or early action candidate. The number of early decision and early action applications received through the Common Application for 2022-23 was up 41%. Dickinson’s Massa says that his staff refers to “early action as the new regular decision.” 

Please contact Ivy Options to explore the wide-ranging opportunities available to you, as well as the best way to apply to college as an international student.

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To read more: 

Open Doors Data Release

International Enrollment Rises

International Enrollment in Charts

Is UK Still a Viable Uni Option?

UCAS 2023 Data