After a dip followed by near-stagnation over the past three years, Indian students are flocking in larger numbers to US graduate schools this year, with new enrolments from India up by as much as 40 per cent.
A report released by the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) this week puts the total enrolment of international graduate students at 2,20,000 this year – up by 10% over the preceding year.
But it is India which has largely driven the overall surge this year, eclipsing China in the process. First-time enrolment of Chinese students that had grown by 21-22 per cent in the two preceding years has posted a mere 5 per cent growth this year.
This new finding marks the end of seven consecutive years of double-digit growth in first-time graduate enrollment of students from China, says CGS, but notes that China still continues to be the largest source of international graduate students, representing 34 per cent of all international graduate students in the United States.
CGS President Debra W Stewart, however, does not see a definitive trend as yet, commenting: “While the substantial increase in first-time enrollments of Indian students is positive, the fluctuation in India enrollment in recent years makes it difficult to confirm a definite trend.”
“Taken with slowed growth in first-time enrolments from China, and the persistent declines in first-time enrolments of South Korean students, I don’t think we can count on any single country to sustain the strong participation of international students that US graduate schools have enjoyed in the past,” she said.
First-time enrolment of students from Brazil rose by 17%, while that from South Korea dipped 12%. Even so, South Korea continues to be the third largest source of international graduate students in the US, after China and India.
The strong growth in offers of admission and enrolment are being viewed as encouraging signs for US graduate schools. “There is no doubt that international students are eager to take advantage of the extraordinary quality of US graduate institutions,” Stewart commented, adding: “The continued growth in first-time enrollment is a sign that decreasing applications have not yet damaged the strong pipeline of international graduate students.”
According to the survey, students from Europe account for 7% of all first-time enrolments among international students this year, while students from Africa and from the Middle East constitute 3% and 6% respectively.
The two most popular fields among international students are said to be physical and earth sciences, which includes mathematics and computer sciences, and engineering.
Together, these disciplines account for 47 per cent of all international graduate student enrolment this year.