Higher Education: Challenges in Attracting International Students to the United States and Implications for Global Competitiveness
Released: 2007-06-29T00:00:00

Letter

Background

The United States has historically sought to attract international students to its colleges and universities. In recent years international students have earned about one-third or more of all of the U.S. degrees at both the master’s and doctoral levels in several of the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. In academic year 2002-2003 alone, international students earned between 45 percent and 57 percent of all the STEM degrees in the United States.

Several federal agencies coordinate efforts to attract and bring international students to the United States and implement related requirements. The Department of State (State) manages the student visa application process, administers some student exchange programs, offers grants to facilitate international exchanges, and provides information promoting educational opportunities in the United States. State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs supports a global network of more than 450 advising centers around the world that provide comprehensive information about educational opportunities in the United States and guidance on how to access those opportunities. In addition, the Undersecretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs has undertaken ongoing efforts at outreach. For example, the office has organized several delegations of American university presidents to travel overseas with the Undersecretary in order to emphasize the United States’ interest in welcoming international students. The Department of Homeland Security enforces immigration laws and oversees applications for changes in immigration status. It also administers the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), an Internet-based system that maintains data on international students and exchange visitors before and during their stay in the United States. Finally, the Department of Education (Education) sponsors initiatives to encourage academic exchanges between the United States and other countries, and the Department of Commerce offers various activities to help U.S. educational institutions market their programs abroad.

Students or exchange visitors interested in studying in the United States must first be admitted to a U.S. school or university before starting the visa process. Most full-time students enter the United States under temporary visas, which usually permit them to stay for the duration of their studies but may require renewals if they return home before their studies are complete. In order to apply for a visa at a U.S. embassy or consulate, students are required to submit a SEVIS -generated document issued by a U.S. college or university or State-designated sponsor organization when they apply for a visa. State advises student applicants to apply early for a student or exchange visitor visa to make sure that there is sufficient time to obtain an appointment for a visa interview and for visa processing. Among the long-standing requirements for students applying for a visa is that they demonstrate an “intent to return” to their country of origin after they complete their studies. Graduates who wish to stay and work in the United States beyond the time allowed by their student visas generally need to receive approval for a change in status, for example, through a temporary work visa or through permanent residency.

Although the United States continues to enroll more international students than any other country, the number of international students enrolled in U.S. higher education institutions leveled off and even dropped slightly after 2001, as shown in figure 1. Figure 2 shows that the U.S. share of international students worldwide decreased between 2000 and 2004. According to the Institute of International Education, the decline in the number of international students attending U.S. higher education institutions between 2002 and 2003 was the first drop in over 30 years. While some preliminary data suggest that international student enrollment numbers may be rebounding, enrollments have yet to return to previous levels. Nevertheless, the United States continues to be a prime study destination for international students for numerous reasons: its high- quality higher education institutions, top-ranked graduate programs, strong research funding, English-language curriculum, and a diverse foreign-born faculty.

The Global Higher Education Landscape Is Providing More Options for Students

As worldwide demand for higher education continues to rise, changes in the global higher education landscape have provided students with more options. For example, technological advancements have spurred online courses and even completely online programs that cater largely to nontraditional students having work and family commitments. Between 1995 and 2001, enrollment in distance education at the college level nearly quadrupled to over 3 million students, according to Education’s most recent data.

In addition, international partnerships allow institutions to share faculty members and facilitate study abroad opportunities. International branch campuses now provide international students the opportunity to receive an American education without leaving their home country.

Greater competition has prompted some countries to embrace instruction in English and encouraged other systems to expand their recruiting activities and incentives. Germany alone offers nearly 400 courses in English that are geared toward international students. In terms of recruiting, several of the participants during our global competitiveness and higher education forum suggested that some countries appear more committed to attracting international students than the United States or are now competing with the United States for the best and the brightest students. Japan offers the same subsidized tuition rates to international students as domestic students, while Singapore offers all students tuition grants covering up to 80 percent of tuition fees as long as they commit to working in Singapore for 3 years after graduation. France and Japan have also strengthened and expanded their scholarship programs for international students. Some countries’ recruiting efforts include providing scholarships to international students who may not be able to afford the costs of obtaining a higher education degree in the United States.

In addition, some countries have also developed strategic plans or offices that address efforts to attract international students. The German Academic Exchange Service and EduFrance offer examples where government agencies have been tasked with international student recruitment. Participants at GAO’s forum on global competitiveness expressed concerns that the United States lacked such a national strategy for recruiting international students and emphasized a need to both explore new sources of international students as well as cultivate U.S. domestic capacity.

Rising Cost of U.S. Higher Education May Discourage Some International Students from Coming

As the cost of attending college in the United States rises, international students may be discouraged from coming here to study. Higher education in the United States ranks among the most expensive in the world. As shown from OECD data in table 1, in 2003-2004 annual average tuition at public U.S. colleges and universities ($4,587) was second only to Australia ($5,289) and more than 2.5 times higher than Europe’s system with the highest tuition fees, that of the United Kingdom. In terms of private higher education providers, U.S. institutions ranked the highest at more than $17,000 per year followed by Australia ($13,420), Italy ($3,992), and Portugal ($3,803).

Moreover, student costs at U.S. colleges and universities continue to rise. Figure 3 depicts average undergraduate tuition and room and board costs between 1976 and 2004 for full-time students in degree-granting programs at both 4-year public and private higher education institutions as well as public 2-year institutions. Average costs for private colleges and universities have risen the most since 1990, from $13,237 to $26,489. However, in percentage terms the most growth took place at 4-year public institutions; the change between 1990 and 2004 was approximately 118 percent compared to a 100 percent increase at 4-year privates and an 83 percent increase at 2-year institutions.

International students generally do not rely on U.S. federal funding to study in the United States. According to the Institute of International Education’s Open Doors 2004/2005 report, which provides data on international student mobility patterns from U.S. universities, an estimated 71 percent of all international students reported their primary source of funding coming from personal and family sources or other sources outside of the United States. The effects of high and rising tuition and other factors on international enrollment patterns are difficult to estimate, but some policymakers are concerned that costs may be discouraging some international students from coming to U.S. higher education institutions.

Changes in U.S. Visa Policies Contributed to Real and Perceived Barriers for International Students to Enter the Country, but Recent Improvements Have Helped Ease Some of the Burden

After September 11, State and Homeland Security, as well as other agencies, took various steps to strengthen the visa process as an antiterrorism tool. This has made the visa process more robust, but may have contributed to real and perceived barriers for international students as well as fueled perceptions that international students were not welcome. Almost all visa applicants must now be interviewed by a consular adjudicating officer at a U.S. embassy or post; this requirement has both affected the number of visas issued and extended wait times for visas under certain circumstances. We have reviewed aspects of the visa process and have made many recommendations to strengthen the process in a way that reduces barriers for international students while balancing national security interests. In October 2002 we cited the need for a clear policy on how to balance national security concerns with the desire to facilitate legitimate travel when issuing visas and made several recommendations to help improve the visa process. In 2003, we reported that the Departments of State, Homeland Security, and Justice could more effectively manage the visa process if they had clear and comprehensive policies and procedures as well as increased agency coordination and information sharing. In 2005 we reported on State’s management of J-1 exchange programs. Separately in 2005, we reported on the department’s efforts to improve the time required to process visas for international science students and scholars as well as others. In 2004 we found that the time to adjudicate a visa depended largely on whether an applicant had to undergo a Visas Mantis security check. Visas Mantis security checks target foreigners who might be involved in violation or evasion of U.S. laws by exporting goods, software, technology, or sensitive information, aiming to prevent proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and conventional weapons. Between January 2004 and June 2006, almost 28 percent of all visa applications sent for Mantis security checks were for students or exchange participants. State has acknowledged that long wait times may discourage legitimate travel to the United States, potentially costing the country billions of dollars in economic benefits, including from foreign students, and adversely influencing foreign citizens’ impressions and opinions of our nation.

Much progress has been made over the years with respect to the visa process. Since 2002, State and other agencies have implemented many of our recommendations aimed at strengthening the visa process as an antiterrorism tool while improving processes to facilitate legitimate travel. In particular, State has issued standard operating procedures, in consultation with Homeland Security, to inform consular officers on issues such as special security checks and student visa requirements. In 2005, we reported a significant decline in both Visas Mantis processing times and cases pending more than 60 days. Recent visa data show an increase in the number of student visas issued in the last few years. According to State Department data, the combined student visa issuance levels for fiscal year 2006 increased by about 20 percent from fiscal year 2002. See figure 4 for the issuance trends for individual student visa categories.

Broader efforts to facilitate travel to the United States for international students have also been implemented. State has expedited interviews for students. In addition, the length of time that some visa clearances are valid has been extended. In February 2007, State issued guidance to posts that applicants should receive an appointment for a student visa interview within 15 days or less. We are continuing to study aspect of these issues, including visa delays and Visas Mantis security checks, which we will be reporting on in the coming months.

Concluding Observations

The United States must maintain an appropriate balance between protecting national security interests and ensuring our long-term competitiveness. The United States has relied on undergraduate and graduate students from other countries to support both economic and foreign policy interests. Changes designed to protect national security in the wake of September 11 may have contributed to real and perceived barriers for international students, and the subsequent decline in international enrollments raises concerns about the long-term competitiveness of U.S. colleges and universities. Rising U.S. tuition costs and growing higher education options worldwide further demonstrate that the United States cannot take its position as the top destination for international students for granted. While federal efforts to reduce barriers for international students have helped, monitoring current trends and federal policies is essential to ensuring that the United States continues to obtain talented international students in the face of greater global competition.

Mr. Chairman, this concludes my prepared statement. I would be happy to respond to any questions you or other members of the subcommittees may have at this time.

GAO Contacts

For further information regarding this testimony, please contact me at (202) 512-7215. Individuals making key contributions to this testimony include Sherri Doughty, Carlo Salerno, Marissa Jones, John Brummet, Eugene Beye, Carmen Donohue, Eve Weisberg, Melissa Pickworth, and Susannah Compton.

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