The U of I remains one of the top destinations for international students and scholars studying in the United States, according to the annual Open Doors report.
Released on Nov. 13 by the Institute of International Education, the report ranks Illinois as second in the nation by international student body in 2017-18 (sixth when including private institutions) and 24th for students participating in credit-bearing education abroad programs in 2016-17.
“At the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, we are committed to providing our students with truly transformative learning experiences,” said Reitumetse Obakeng Mabokela, Vice Provost for International Affairs and Global Strategies.
The 2018 Open Doors report revealed the following data:
- This year the U of I welcomed 13,445 international students and scholars;
- It’s 24th in the country for credit-bearing study abroad participation, with 1,945 students earning credit abroad in 2016-17;
- Engineering, Business and Management, Math and Computer Science, Social Sciences, and Physical and Life Sciences are the major fields of study selected by international students and scholars;
- Students from China, India, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, and Canada make up the bulk of all international students in the United States;
- The United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, France, and Germany were the top host destinations for U.S. students studying abroad;
- International student and scholar numbers on U.S. campuses increased by 1.5 percent and the number of students going abroad has increased by 2.3 percent.
“With our large international student population, robust education abroad programming, and cooperative research partnerships, we are proud to offer one of the most comprehensive and diverse learning environments in the world,” said Chancellor Robert Jones.
International students and scholars also bring numerous economic benefits to the state of Illinois. According to a 2016-17 data analysis by the Association of International Educators, international students and scholars contributed more than $1.8 billion to the state of Illinois, which also led to the creation of 24,771 jobs. Higher education institutions in the state of Illinois enroll 52,225 international students and scholars. The contribution to the Urbana-Champaign economy totaled $404 million last year.
The Institute of International Education has conducted an annual census of international students in the U.S. since its founding in 1919.
Of course, the School of Literatures, Cultures and Linguistics plays a huge part in the quality of international life and global education on the U of I campus. For more about the School, visit: https://slcl.illinois.edu/