Diverse Communities Attract International Students to Study Abroad in New York

New York is one of the largest cultural and economic hubs of the world, with approximately 8 million people from across the globe calling the US state home. Hosting some of the world’s most prestigious institutions, New York’s global recognition has made the state one of the most popular study abroad destinations for international students.

Today, we will be diving into study trends in New York—the second most popular state for international students.

Last year, the average financial contribution of each international student in New York was $35,500. This was $4,500 higher than the national average of $31,000 per international student. In 2020/21, international students in New York contributed a total of $3.8 billion USD to the US.¹

Over the past few months, we’ve looked at study abroad trends in California, Michigan, and Texas, as part of our series examining the most popular states in the US international education market.

New York Study Trends in 2020/21

As the second most popular US state for international students, New York hosted nine percent of all international students. The line graph below shows the international student population in New York compared to the US average:

New York is home to 1.2 million students enrolled in higher education. In 2020/21, New York hosted almost 107,000 international students in 2020/21.

Since 2015/16, New York State trended ahead of the average growth of international students in the rest of the US until 2020/21. Despite the decline of 20,000 international students in 2020/21, New York State remained within one percent of the national average in the US. Although growth slowed across several years, the US market looks to be rebounding, with US Student Visas issued returning to pre-pandemic levels.

Top Five Source Markets for New York Students

New York accounted for nearly 12% of international students in 2020/21. Of the 107,000 international students in the state, almost 44% came to study from China. In comparison, 17% of international students in New York state came to study from India. South Korea, Canada, and Taiwan made up the rest of the top five source markets for the US.

With China’s growth slowing down over the decade following a stronghold of 10 years as the number one source market for students in the US, we are beginning to see a slight shift in the US’s international education sector. We’re seeing an increase in the number of Indian students choosing to study in the US, which could challenge for the top spot in US source market rankings.

New York, NY

New York City was the top metropolitan area in the United States hosting international students in 2020/21. The cross-state proximity and accessibility to New York City attracted over 85,000 students to New York in 2020/21.

The city is known for its long history of immigration, and has established many immigrant and refugee communities. As many as 800 languages are spoken in New York City, making it the most linguistically diverse city in the world.²

According to US Census data, there were nearly 4.35 million immigrants in New York in 2019. This made up about 22% of the state’s population, which was about the same share of the population as in 2010. In 2020, this percentage share grew slightly, with just over nine percent more immigrants in New York City than the percentage share of immigrants in the US.

Most Popular Schools in New York for International Students

Let’s take a look at which institutions were the most popular for international students in New York over the past 10 years:

By far, New York University (NYU) has been the most popular university in New York for international students since 2007. Located in the heart of the big city, NYU continues to host the largest international student population of any higher education institution in the US.

Of the 200 institutions with over 1,000 international students in the United States, 20 were located in New York in 2020/21, four of which are part of the State University of New York (SUNY) system.

New York is known for its comprehensive public education system, with 64 public colleges and universities located in New York State. SUNY institutions allow international students to access lower tuition fees compared to private institution fees. International students studying at SUNY institutions qualify for out-of-state tuition, which are still, on average, cheaper than competitive institutions outside of the SUNY system.

Let’s take a closer look at the top 3 universities in New York for international students:

• New York University: Located in the heart of New York, NYU hosted the largest number of international students in the US since 2013/14, NYU hosted 17,000 international students from over 140 different countries in 2020/21.
• Colombia University: Columbia hosted over 15,000 international students in 2020/21, a drop of just over 12% from 2019/2020. This was four percentage points less than the state average of 16% and seven percentage points less than the decline that NYU saw in 2020/21.
• Cornell University: Cornell has been one of the top three institutions for international students in New York since 2018/19. Hosting six percent of all international students in New York, Cornell had 6,700 international students enrolled in 2020/21.

One other institution that deserves a special mention is SUNY University at Buffalo. SUNY University at Buffalo was the fourth most popular institution for international students in 2020/21. As the only State University of New York in the largest comprehensive university system in the US to make the top 5 list, SUNY University at Buffalo hosted just over 6,000 international students in 2020/21. This was nearly 500 less students than the number of international students that were enrolled at Cornell University in the same year.

Study and Work in New York

New York’s bustling academic environment offers an experience where international students from all disciplines can thrive. The state is known for its unparalleled diverse student populations, allowing for plenty of opportunity for students to connect with academics and professionals from all areas of life.

With more than 50 Fortune 500 companies, New York offers extensive opportunities for students looking to gain valuable work experience and industry knowledge in various disciplines. Many of these companies also offer internships and post-graduation work opportunities for students to take advantage of.

Students can offset New York’s cost of living by taking advantage of numerous on-campus work programs. With one of the highest minimum wages in the country, along with Washington, Massachusetts, and California, there are many ways for students to make an income while they study in New York. Students can also take advantage of schools like Rochester Institute of Technology that offer co-op programs for students. Through these co-op programs, students can gain practical experience in their field of study through a paid internship experience which counts toward the requirements of their program.

Many institutions in New York offer Curricular Practical Training (CPT) and Optional Practical Training (OPT). CPT and OPT have become a popular recruitment strategy for institutions to separate themselves from their competition, by providing students with invaluable working experience and a pathway to visa sponsorship.

New York Institute of Technology, Marist College, St. Francis College, Utica University and SUNY Fulton-Montgomery Community College are just a few institutions offering students competitive CPT and OPT.

Looking Forward

Home to a world-renowned capital of culture and innovation, New York continues to be a popular destination for students and one of the most diversely populated cities in the world. Despite a slight slowdown in 2020/21, New York is known to have some of the most prestigious institutions in the world and remains the second largest destination state for international students in the US. It’s also worth noting that New York’s top two source markets for international students were also among the top three source countries for immigrants in the US.³

We are excited by the potential for New York to continue to be a top destination for international students. Here are our thoughts on how New York institutions can further attract international students to the US:

• Leverage existing multicultural communities that were built through a long history of international students from around the world, as one of the most diverse states in the Union.
• Emphasize professional opportunities available to students looking to connect with people from around the world, such as access to more than 50 Fortune 500 companies
• Leverage the state’s global reputation for academic and economic excellence.
• Promote the prestigious reputation of higher education institutions that offer students unparalleled possibilities for academic success in various disciplines.

About the ApplyInsights Team

FOOTNOTES:

1. All data courtesy of the Institute of International Education (IIE), Open Doors 2021, unless otherwise stated.

2. U.S. Census Bureau, New York State. 2020.

3.  U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. 2020.