(The Myth: International students take seats away from American students.) International students make up only 5% of total higher education enrollment in the U.S. At the undergraduate level they make up only about 3% of enrollment, and at the graduate level their proportion is higher at 12%. But despite their relatively small proportions, they have a large and positive impact on U.S. higher education, local communities, and states. Check out data by state here. Contrary to the fear that international students displace U.S. students and take away college seats, past and current evidence points to the opposite, showing that the presence of international students increases the enrollment of domestic students. A 2016 study found that a gain in every ten international graduate students was associated with an increase in domestic students, and with no adverse effects on the enrollment of under-represented U.S. students. A more recent 2021 study on undergraduate students by the National Foundation for American Policy finds that the presence of international students leads to an increase in the number of U.S. students receiving bachelor’s degrees in STEM fields. International students bring important global and cultural perspectives to classrooms and campuses and help internationalize U.S. higher education, especially given that only 10% of U.S. students will study abroad.