A new report from the Institute of International Education has found that the number of Canadian enrolled in U.S. higher education increased last year by 3.5% percent, while the country remained one of the top 5 places of origin for international students studying in the United States.
The 2014 Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange, released today, finds the number of international students at colleges and universities in the United States increased by eight percent to a record high of 886,052 students in the 2013/14 academic year, confirming once again that the United States remains the destination of choice for higher education. The United States hosts more of the world’s 4.5 million globally mobile college and university students than any other country in the world, with almost double the number hosted by the United Kingdom, the second leading host country. The report also found that more American students – a total of 289,408 – studied abroad for academic credit from their U.S. colleges and universities, although the two percent increase represents a slightly slower rate of growth than the previous year. Canada maintains its position as the 5th leading place of origin for international students in the United States. The number of Canadian students enrolled in U.S. higher education increased by 3.5% percent to 28,305.
The Open Doors report is published annually by the Institute of International Education in partnership with the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
“We are very excited about the growth we have seen in Canadians studying in the United States,” says Jenika Heim, EducationUSA Advisor to Canada. “EducationUSA in Canada has participated in numerous fairs and outreach events across Canada. In 2015, we plan to create more visibility through our Webinar series, increased social media presence, and additional presentations across Canada with the help of our Consular partners. In the coming years, we hope to surpass our highest total of Canadians studying in the U.S., which was 29, 697 students in 2009.”
Prior to EducationUSA opening a post in Canada in 2012, the country had experienced a three-year decline in the number of Canadians studying in the U.S. Since EducationUSA began doing outreach in Canada, this trend has been reversing.
“EducationUSA has been doing excellent work in Canada for several years now, so it’s great to see that reflected in the new Open Doors report,” said U.S. Ambassador to Canada Bruce Heyman. “The United States and Canada have the largest, most expansive economic relationship in the world, so it’s only natural that this is reflected in our cross-border education numbers.”
The new Open Doors data was released on the occasion of the 15th annual celebration of International Education Week, a joint initiative of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education to prepare Americans for a global environment and attract future leaders from abroad to study, learn, and exchange experiences in the United States. This year’s statistics document how much more global U.S. higher education has become since the launch of the initiative. The overall number of international students in the United States has grown by 72 percent since the first International Education Week briefing was held in 2000. Additionally, the number of U.S. students studying abroad has more than doubled in the last 15 years.
For more information on EducationUSA Canada, email them at Ottawa@educationUSA.info.
