International Application Volume Drops At U.S. Grad Schools

CGS (Council of Graduate Schools) has been conducting surveys since 2004, providing dependable information regarding international students applying to and attending graduate programs in the U.S. According to CGS’s 2018 International Graduate Applications and Enrollment report, the 240 schools participating in the International Graduate Admissions Survey reported receiving 4% fewer international grad school applications in fall 2018 than in fall 2017. This is the second year in a row that application volume has fallen. The number of international enrollees in U.S. grad schools declined by 1%. Some reasons for this decline appear to be: Insecurity about U.S. visa rules Political climate regarding immigration A strong U.S. dollar, which can make programs more expensive Fewer scholarships provided by some countries, especially those with oil-dependent economies Tense relations between the U.S. and China Despite the tension in U.S.-China relations, the most international grad students continue to come to the U.S. from China and India. In the fall of 2018, 42% of first-time international master’s and certificate students and 34% of first-time international PhD students were Chinese nationals. Indian students accounted for 31% of first-time international master’s and certificate students and 13% of international PhD students. Additional findings from the study: The number of applicants and first-time enrollees from Sub-Saharan African countries increased by 28% and 5%, respectively. Applicants from Mexico decreased by 4% between fall 2017 and fall 2018. This is the second year that the numbers of Mexican applicants declined. The number of applicants from the Latin American and Caribbean areas rose 4% in applications and 5% in overall first-time enrollments. The number of Canadian applications did not change from fall 2017 to fall 2018. First-time grad enrollment went up 6% for the same time period. Middle Eastern and North African applications decreased by 14% between fall 2017 and fall 2018. European grad applications fell 13% between fall 2017 and fall 2018. Schools offering master’s degrees but not PhDs experienced the largest decline. They had a 15% drop in first-time international students in their master’s and certificate programs. Programs that had been among the fastest-growing experienced the largest decreases: Engineering: -10% Physical and Earth Sciences: -13% Public Administration: -27% According to the Daily Beast, the number of international students enrolled in U.S. graduate program accounted for approximately 20% of the total, or about 250,000 students in fall 2018. This drop in application volume can work to your benefit, and we can help! Explore our Graduate Admissions Services and work one-on-one with an expert advisor who will help you get ACCEPTED For 25 years, Accepted has helped applicants gain acceptance to top master’s and PhD programs. Our team of admissions consultants features former admissions directors, PhDs, and professional writers who have guided our clients to acceptance at top programs worldwide including Harvard, Stanford, Princeton, University of Chicago, UC Berkeley, Columbia, Cambridge, Oxford, McGill, HKUST, and many more.   Want an admissions expert  to help you get Accepted? Click here to get in touch! Related Resources: 5 Fatal Flaws to Avoid in Your Graduate School Statement of Purpose, a free guideInternational Students: How to Finance Your U.S. Education, a podcast episodeIs Drop in Foreign Student Visas Due to Trump’s Immigration Policy?