In academic year 2007/08, there were 81,127 students from China studying in the United States, up 19.8% from the previous year. That makes China the second-leading place of origin for students coming to the United States, following India (94,563). These figures were released in a study called Open Doors: Report on International Educational Exchange, published annually by the Institute of International Education with support from the U.S. Department of State.
In my opinion, the record numbers are in part attributable to aggressive recruiting by U.S. schools in China as well as China’s booming economy. Also, the numbers mark a rebound in Chinese students confidence in the U.S. visa system. After 9/11, Chinese students were disappointed by a high rate of visa denials and long security checks that delayed visa issuance by months for some.
According to the report, the majority of Chinese students study at the graduate level: 20.3% undergraduate, 65.4% graduate students, 4.8% other, 9.5% optional practical training.
China sent no students to the U.S. from the 1950s until 1974/75. In the 1980s, numbers of Chinese students grew dramatically, and in 1988/89, China displaced Taiwan as the leading sender. China was the leading place of origin from 1988/89 until it was displaced by Japan in 1994/95. In 1998/99, China overtook Japan as the leading sender, and remained in the number one position until being overtaken by India in 2001/02, and has remained in second place since.
Year: # of Students From China (% of Total Foreign Students in U.S.):
2007/08: 81,127 (13%)
2006/07: 67,723 (11.6%)
2005/06: 62,582 (11.1%)
2004/05: 62,523 (11.1%)
2003/04: 61,765 (10.8%)
2002/03: 64,757 (11.0%)
2001/02: 63,211 (10.8%)
2000/01: 59,939 (10.9%)
1999/00: 54,466 (10.6%)
1998/99: 51,001 (10.4%)
1997/98: 46,958 (9.8%)
1996/97: 42,503 (7.8%)
1995/96: 39,613 (8.7%)
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