Report Shows Record High International Enrollment in U.S.

Graduate enrollment among international students also hit record high

-By Charles Givens

November 19, 2024

International student enrollment at U.S. colleges reached a record high of more than 1.1 million in the 2023-24 academic year, increasing nearly 7%, according to a new Institute of International Education (IIE) Open Doors report.

Graduate enrollment among international students also reached a record high, exceeding 502,000, an almost 8% increase. Undergraduate international enrollment dipped slightly, about 1.5%, to approximately 343,000 students.

*Students and faculty walk past the hall of flags in the Fuqua School of Business. (Photo credit: Jared Lazarus, Duke University Photography)*

For the first time since 2009, India replaced China as the top source of international students, growing 23.3% to represent nearly 30% of the total. Chinese enrollment fell 4.3% overall and 12.8% at the undergraduate level. China, however, remains the leading source of undergraduate international students. Several South Asian and African countries saw notable increases, including Ghana (45.2%), Bangladesh (26.1%), Iran (15%) and Nigeria (13.5%).

For its part, Duke welcomed more than 5,000 international students in 2024. Mirroring the national trend, Duke’s top two countries of origin were China and India. In the 2022-23 academic year, Duke’s international students contributed $273.5 million to North Carolina’s economy and supported 3,119 jobs.

The Open Doors report projects continued international student enrollment growth in the 2024-25 academic year based on preliminary fall data.