Indian Students Form The Second Largest Pool In US After China

Indians have shown a significant double-digit growth of 12.3 per cent in the last one year to become the second largest group of international students in the US after China, contributing $ 6.5 billion to the country's economy in 2016, according to a an annual report by Institute of International Education (IIE).

India is the second leading country for students coming to the US, with 1, 86, 267 students in 2016-2017 comprising 17.3 percent of the total international students in the US. China had a total of 3,50,755 students, signifying an increase of 6.8 percent.

According to the report, the majority of Indian students in the US study at the graduate level in 2016-17, were 11.8 per cent undergraduate; 56.3 percent graduate students; 1.2 per cent other; and 30.7 per cent OPT (Optional Practical Training). Last year, Indian students in US colleges and universities contributed $ 6.54 billion to the US economy.

According to the 2017 Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange data released by the IIE and the Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, the number of international students in the US increased by three per cent over the prior year, and the number of American students studying abroad increased by four percent from the prior year.

The top places of origin for international students studying in the US were China, India, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Canada, Vietnam, Taiwan, Japan, Mexico, and Brazil.

The top host states were California, New York, Texas, Massachusetts, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Florida, Ohio, Michigan, and Indiana. Each of these states saw increases in international students in 2016-17.

Institutions reported they are continuing to prioritise international student outreach and recruitment in Asia, particularly China (67 per cent), Vietnam (51 per cent), and India (48 per cent).

Rajguru Tandon

BW Reporters The author is a correspondent with BW Businessworld with keen interest in HR and employee welfare.