Written by Colin McEvoy | November 18, 2024 | SHARE
Lehigh University’s global initiatives reflect the nationwide record-high enrollment of international students, according to national and Lehigh reports
International student enrollment has reached an all-time high nationwide, according to the Open Doors 2024 Report on International Educational Exchange, released this week by the U.S. State Department and the Institute of International Education.
Just over 1.1 million international students were enrolled in U.S. institutions in the 2023-24 academic year, marking a 6.6% increase from the previous year, according to the report. International students made up 5.9% of total college enrollment figures last year.
This marked the highest number of international students in the United States since the IIE began tracking these figures in 1948, according to the Open Doors report. Those 1.1 million students have contributed $43.8 billion to the national economy, supporting 378,000 total jobs, according to NAFSA: Association of International Educators.
Lehigh University has 989 international students from 91 countries this academic year, as well as 140 scholars from 42 countries, according to new global data reports by Lehigh’s Office of International Affairs (OIA).
Additionally, Lehigh University ranked #22 nationally in terms of the number of students who go abroad. This academic year, 789 Lehigh students had a combined total of 825 study abroad experiences.
OIA has released separate Lehigh global data reports for international students & scholars, education abroad, and fellowship advising. Visit global.lehigh.edu/datareports2024 to view or download the reports, which were released on Nov. 18 to mark the first day of International Education Week.
International Student Community
Last year, Lehigh’s international students contributed $62.3 million to the Lehigh Valley economy, supporting 690 jobs, according to NAFSA: International Education Association. Statewide, Pennsylvania had 50,514 international students enrolled in the 2023-24 academic year, contributing $2.2 billion to the economy and supporting 22,000 jobs.
The largest international student population nationwide was among Optional Practical Training (OPT) participants. OPT is a type of U.S. work authorization that allows international students on F-1 visas to gain hands-on experience in their field of study, enhancing their skills and employability through real-world training and application.
There were 242,782 OPT students in the U.S. last academic year, a year-over-year increase of 22.1%. Lehigh University had 502 OPT students this academic year, working in such places as Amazon, Deloitte, Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs, Harvard Medical School, Intel Corporation, Massachusetts General Hospital, Mayo Clinic, Morgan Stanley, and Wells Fargo.
In addition to those individuals on OPT, the Office of International Students and Scholars supports a total 1,791 students, scholars, and their families. Lehigh’s international student community also includes 595 graduate students, 394 undergraduate students, 210 OPT extension students (students who work in the U.S. in their field of study for up to three years after graduation), 140 scholars, and 154 dependents (family members on H1B2 visas).
Top International Student Countries of Origin
Nationally, India has topped China as the top country of origin for international students. Nationwide, a total of 331,602 international students came from India in the 2023-24 academic year, a 23.3% year-over-year increase. China was second with 277,398 students, a 4.2% decrease over the previous year.
The next highest countries of origin nationwide for international students were South Korea (43,149), Canada (28,998), Taiwan (23,157), Vietnam (22,066), Nigeria (20,029), Bangladesh (17,099), Brazil (16,877), and Nepal (16,742).
At Lehigh University, the top countries of origin for undergraduate students were China (172), Vietnam (33), India (16), Ghana (10), Bangladesh (9), and Brazil (9). For graduate students, the top countries of origin were China (263), India (61), Iran (38), Nigeria (23), Nepal (13), and Turkey (13).
Lehigh Ranked #22 in Study Abroad
A total of 280,716 students in U.S. higher education institutions studied abroad in 2022-23, the most recent year available, according to Open Doors. That’s up from 188,753 students the previous year, a year-over-year increase of 48%, rebounding from the period of COVID.
At Lehigh, 789 students had a combined total of 825 study abroad experiences this academic year, and 42% of Lehigh students had at least one international experience by graduation, according to Lehigh’s new global data report. This is the highest number of Lehigh students abroad in any academic year.
These 825 total study abroad experiences for Lehigh students included 258 Lehigh faculty-taught courses, 67 Global Social Impact Fellows, 61 Iacocca International Internship Program experiences, 284 semester, 66 short immersion, 66 external transfer credit, 10 Lehigh-directed independent experiences, and 13 through Lehigh Launch in Latin America.
Top Study Abroad Destinations
Italy topped the list of top study abroad destinations for students in U.S. institutions in 2022-23, according to Open Doors. A total of 64.4% of U.S. study abroad experiences took place in Europe, with 10.7% in Latin America, and 9.4% in Asia.
A total of 41,840 U.S. students studied abroad in Italy. Other top destinations included the United Kingdom, Spain, France, Ireland, Japan, Germany, Costa Rica, Australia, and Greece.
Spain was the top destination for Lehigh University’s study abroad students, with 160 experiences in that country, according to Lehigh’s global data report. Other top destinations included Italy, Portugal, Thailand, the United Kingdom, Germany, Denmark, the Dominican Republic, Sierra Leone, and France.
Commitment to Access
Lehigh is committed to making global experiences accessible to students from all financial backgrounds. Several programs and initiatives exist to reduce the financial burden for students with limited resources. A total of 20% of Lehigh’s study abroad participants this year were eligible for Pell Grants, and 18% of them identified as first-generation students.
Additionally, 98 Pell Grant recipients have won Gilman Scholarships since 2016, according to the global data report for Lehigh’s Office of Fellowship Advising. OFA works with Lehigh students, faculty, staff, and alumni to prepare nationally competitive scholarship and fellowship applications.
A total of $2.3 million in awards have been given through OFA’s efforts since 2016, and 106 Lehigh students, faculty, and alumni have won nationally-competitive scholarships since spring 2017. OFA has an overall win rate of 37%, and the office has helped Lehigh achieve three finalists for the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship in the last two years.