Which nations send the most students to U.S. colleges and universities?

Students from China and India make up nearly half of the international students attending U.S. higher education institutions.
Nov. 14, 2017

More than 1 million international students were enrolled in colleges and universities in the United States in 2016-17.

The International Institute of Education's annual Open Doors report says that 1,078,822 students from outside the United States attended U.S. colleges and universities in 2016-17. That represents a 3.4 percent increase over the 1,043,839 international students in 2015-16.

Students from China and India make up nearly 50 percent of the international students. The 10 nations with the most international students are the same as those on the 2015-16 list, although the rankings have changed in some cases.

Here are the 10 nations with the most students attending U.S. colleges and universities.

About the Author

Mike Kennedy

Senior Editor

Mike Kennedy, senior editor, has written for AS&U on a wide range of educational issues since 1999.

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