WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The number of international students in the United States surpassed one million for the third consecutive year, increasing 1.5 percent to reach a new high of 1,094,792 million, a new report finds.
The United States remains the top host of international students globally, according to the 2018 Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange.
The rise in numbers is mainly due to students staying in the country for temporary work after graduation.
The report noticed increased participation in the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program, which allows international students to practice their skills in the United States for up to 12 months during or after they complete their academic programs, or up to 36 months for students who have earned a degree in STEM fields.
But the number of newly arriving students from abroad has fallen to about 271,000, the lowest levels since 2013, says the report released by the Institute of International Education and the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
New foreign student enrollments fell by 6.6 percent in 2017-18, continuing a downward trend for the third consecutive year after more than a decade of growth.
The Open Doors 2018 report highlights the impact of international education on the U.S. higher education sector, examining the numbers and profile of international students in the United States in 2017-18 and of U.S. students receiving academic credit for study abroad in 2016-17.
The United States continues to be the top host of international students globally. They made a significant financial impact, contributing $42.4 billion to the U.S. economy through tuition, room and board, and other expenses, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce.
'International students studying alongside Americans are a tremendous asset to the United States,' said Marie Royce, Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs.
At the same time, the number of American students studying abroad increased by 2.3 percent to 332,727 in 2016-17. Approximately one in 10 U.S. students study abroad during their undergraduate career, the report says.
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