Latitudes: When it comes to international education, the map keeps shifting for U.S. colleges

A snapshot survey shows the latest trends in foreign-student recruitment and study abroad. ADVERTISEMENT [Latitudes Logo]( You can also [read this newsletter on the web](. Or, if you no longer want to receive this newsletter, [unsubscribe](. A majority of colleges report an increase in international applications International applications to American colleges are continuing to climb, but the post-pandemic enrollment bump may be subsiding. A little more than half of colleges [surveyed]( by the Institute of International Education said overseas applications increased for fall 2024. But that’s a smaller share than in [2023 and 2022]( when applications rose at 61 and 65 percent of colleges, respectively. About a third of colleges reported falling numbers, while 17 percent said they were steady. The institute, known as IIE, began conducting a spring survey of American colleges during Covid to provide more immediate information to supplement its [annual Open Doors census](. Here are a couple of other international-student trends worth flagging: China may be fading — as a source and as a priority. Just a quarter of colleges said applications from China were on the rise, while nearly half saw growth from India, which has supplanted China as the [largest source]( of foreign students in the United States. China also trails India as a priority for student recruitment. Interestingly, colleges named India as a top market for undergraduate and graduate recruitment, even though India supplies five times as many [graduate students]( to the U.S. as undergraduates. Applications from sub-Saharan Africa soared. But will that lead to commensurate increases in enrollment? A large share of colleges said applications from [Ghana]( and Nigeria jumped. Still, U.S. [visa-denial rates]( of more than 55 percent in the region mean that interest doesn’t necessarily yield as many actual students. Applications were also up from Bangladesh and Nepal, colleges told IIE. When it comes to reaching students, colleges were as likely to use recruitment agents as to hold in-person events overseas. Fifty-eight percent of colleges surveyed use agents as a recruitment strategy, while at the undergraduate level, 57 percent traveled to college fairs or regional expos in students’ home countries. (In-person events were not among the top six measures for recruiting graduate students.) The frequency of agent use is evidence of the normalization of a [once-controversial recruitment practice](. Alumni, current international students, and social media were also common channels for engagement with prospective students. ADVERTISEMENT Upcoming Workshop [The Chronicle's Crash Course in Academic Leadership | August 2024] If you’re curious about becoming an academic administrator, we’re once again offering The Chronicle’s Academic Leadership Crash Course, a four-hour virtual workshop designed for faculty aspiring to administrative roles. Join us in August to gain essential insights, practical tips, and valuable resources that will help you pursue your next professional step. [Learn more and register!]( For study abroad, finally a recovery For study abroad, the shadow of Covid might finally be lifting. Nine in 10 colleges said they anticipated that student participation in education abroad, which [cratered during the pandemic]( would be stable or growing. Just one college reported to IIE that overseas programs for this fall were canceled. Also of note: They’ll always have Paris. And maybe Seoul? Traditional destinations in Western Europe continue to be popular, but colleges also are making programs in countries such as Australia, Costa Rica, Japan, and South Korea a priority, the survey shows. Follow the professor. More than half of students who went overseas in the last academic year participated in faculty-led programs, while the rest directly enrolled in foreign universities, took part in student exchanges, participated in organized study-abroad programs, or did internships or research internationally. American colleges are taking “incremental” steps toward more-sustainable study abroad, IIE said. Forty-five percent of responding institutions said they were trying to make international study more [climate friendly]( including expanding virtual exchanges, creating an education-abroad-specific sustainability plan, and prioritizing transportation with less carbon admissions while overseas. No single strategy, however, was being followed by a sizable share of colleges. About 660 colleges participated in the survey, a 25-percent response rate. FROM THE CHRONICLE STORE [Overcoming Student Loneliness - The Chronicle Store]( [Overcoming Student Loneliness]( Students are especially vulnerable to loneliness, which can be difficult to measure and hard to combat. [Order this report]( for expert insights to foster stronger social connections on your campus. On a (sort-of) break … Latitudes will be a little shorter this week and next while I’m on vacation. I’ll see you after Labor Day, hopefully rested, relaxed, and without too many black-fly bites. In the meantime, thanks for reading. I always welcome your feedback and ideas for future reporting, so drop me a line at karin.fischer@chronicle.com. You can also connect with me on [X]( or [LinkedIn](. If you like this newsletter, please share it with colleagues and friends. They can [sign up here](. ADVERTISEMENT CAREER RESOURCES [Finding a New Job] [Read the August collection]( for advice on finding a new job. 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