The Most Popular American Colleges and Universities for International Students

Despite a slight slowdown in enrollment last year, the US remains a top destination for international students. Earlier this year, we looked at higher education in the top 10 lowest cost-of-living states, where we dove into higher education opportunities for international students in some of the most affordable locations in the US.

Today, we’ll take a look at the most popular US post-secondary institutions for international students.¹ Specifically, we’ll look at which American colleges and universities attracted the most international students in 2020/21, and how these numbers compared to 2019/2020.

Congratulations to all the schools that appear in the list below, including the many ApplyBoard partner schools working with us on our mission to educate the world!

American Post-Secondary Student Visa Trends 2019-2021

After a steep drop during the pandemic, student inflows to the US have rebounded well. In fact, US student visas issued have largely returned to pre-pandemic numbers.

The chart below shows how US student visas issued have trended since the 2017 fiscal year:

From October 2020 to September 2021, the US Department of State issued nearly 358,000 student visas. This was largely in line with totals from 2019, and represented a strong bounce back from 2020.

In the 2020/21 academic year, the 25 most popular schools in the US averaged an 8% drop in international student enrolment from 2019/20. In contrast, total post-secondary enrollment for international students in 2020/21 dropped by 15%. In other words, the most popular universities outperformed their peers in international student retention.

25 Most Popular American Colleges and Universities for International Students

The map below shows where the 25 most popular American colleges and universities are located by state:

Of the 10 most popular universities and colleges in the US, three are located in California and two each are in New York and Massachusetts. Texas, Michigan and Pennsylvania each had two schools in the larger list of the 25 most popular US schools for international students.

For several years, California has held the number one spot as the most popular US state for international students, with New York just behind.

10 Most Popular American Colleges and Universities for International Students

Let’s take a closer look at the 10 most popular schools for international students in 2021.

10. University of California, Los Angeles

With one of the smallest University of California campuses in one of the most populous cities in the US, UCLA hosted the tenth most international students in 2020/21. The university has some of the country’s top ranked nursing and computer science programs. Despite a drop in the top 10 rankings of three spots from last year, UCLA hosted 10,273 international students in 2020/21.

9. Purdue University – West Lafayette

Located in Northwestern Indiana, Purdue University hosted the ninth most international students last year. Known for its top ranked engineering programs and business programs, 10,500 international students were enrolled in studies at Purdue University in 2020/21. The university experienced a drop of just over 6% in international enrollment from 2019/20, two percentage points less than average of the 25 most popular US schools.

8. Boston University

Recognized by the Association of American Universities as a top research university in the US and Canada, Boston University is known for its top ranked medicine programs, with the US’s first combined cancer research and teaching laboratory and a historical commitment to leading in practicing medicine. With 10,646 international students enrolled in 2020/21, Boston University jumped two spots in the rankings from 2019/20.

7. University of California, San Diego

Widely regarded as one of the top science universities in the US, UCSD is the most popular University of California school among international students, edging out UCLA. The university is considered one of the US’s Public Ivies, with 27 Nobel Prize-winning faculty, researchers and alumni. The university was named the country’s 8th Best Public University by the U.S. News and World Report, with graduate programs ranked among the top 10 in the country. In 2020/21, UCSD hosted a total of 10,824 international students.

We looked at international students trends in California earlier this year for ApplyInsights.

6. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Specializing in liberal arts education, with a diverse faculty representing more than 120 countries, UIUC hosted 12,838 international students in 2020/21. The University’s information sciences and engineering programs are ranked among the best in the country.

5. Arizona State University – Tempe

Recognized by U.S. News & World Report as the US’s most innovative school for the seventh year in a row, Arizona State University is known for its leading collaboration with NASA to advance innovations in space exploration. In 2020/21, ASU experienced the lowest decrease in enrollment among the 25 most popular US schools, a drop of just under one percent in enrollment from 2019/20. Last year, ASU hosted a total of 13,015 international students.

4. University of Southern California

Famed for its creative programs as the oldest private research university in California, USC has been the number one destination for international students in California for the past five years. In 2020/21, the Los Angeles-based school hosted 14,992 international students, a 12% drop in enrollment from 2019/20.

3. Columbia University

Known for its top-ranked law program and highly diverse staff, Columbia hosted 15,015 international students in 2020/21, a drop of just over 12% from 2019/2020. This Ivy League university is located on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhattan. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher education in New York and the fifth-oldest in the United States.

Check out our article on study abroad trends in New York, the US’s second most popular destination state for international students.

2. Northeastern University – Boston

Located in the Massachusetts state capital on an urban campus, Northeastern held its spot as the second most popular US school for international students. Known for its popular business and management programs, the university is home to 45 international and cultural awareness organizations, and 143 countries are represented in its student body. NEU hosted 15,880 international students in 2020/21.

1. New York University

Located in the heart of New York, NYU has been the most popular school for international students in the US since 2013/14. NYU is home to the Tisch School of Arts, recognized as as one of the most prestigious art schools in the world. In 2020/21, NYU hosted 17,050 international students from over 140 different countries.

Looking Forward

American colleges and universities proved to be resilient during the pandemic and have made a strong comeback in 2021. With travel restrictions behind us, students are returning to in-person study at pre-pandemic levels.

Despite the challenges that the US has faced with decreased enrollment, the US remains a popular study abroad destination for international students. With access to some of the most prestigious institutions in some of the most popular metropolitan cities in the world, international students continue to look to the US to begin their study abroad journey. 

Although the majority of the most popular US schools of international students saw a decrease in enrollment in 2020/21 compared to 2019/20, the demand for an American education remains robust around the world. The US’s rising student visa approval rates are a key selling point for students looking to the US to begin their study abroad journey. We are confident that the US will continue to recover in the years ahead.

About the ApplyInsights Team

FOOTNOTES:

1. All data courtesy of the Institute of International Education (IIE) Open Doors Report.