Top 15 Countries with the Highest Number of International Students

The United States of America continues to be a top destination for international students seeking higher education, with a projected increase in the number of internationally mobile students from 6 million in 2023 to over 10 million by 2030. The US is expected to attract approximately one-fifth of these students, making it one of the leading countries hosting foreign students in the world.

The rise in internationally mobile students heading to Western countries is driven by a shortage of higher education capacity in regions like Africa, Asia, South America, and the Middle East. In 2021, there were around 6.4 million international mobile students, with over 1.1 million coming from Central and Southeastern Asian countries.

The influx of foreign students has made education the 5th largest export industry in the US, supporting over 368,000 jobs related to advising and supporting international students during their stay in the country. US colleges and universities are actively seeking to increase their international student enrollments, with 92% of institutions expressing a desire to do so. This focus on international students comes as domestic enrollments have seen a 10% decline since 2010, with further projections indicating a 15% drop in college enrollments from domestic students due to decreasing birth rates.

As the US continues to attract a significant number of international students, it remains a key player in the global education landscape. Stay tuned to discover the top 5 countries hosting the most foreign students in the world.