California maintained its position as the top destination for international students in U.S. higher education, even as questions emerge about future enrollment under a potential second Trump presidency.
According to new data from the Institute of International Education, over 1.1 million foreign students enrolled in U.S. colleges and universities during the 2023-24 academic year - a 7% increase from the previous year. India surpassed China as the leading source country for the first time since 2009.
In California, the landscape differs from national trends. Chinese students comprise 36% of the state's 140,858 international students, while Indian students make up 20%. The University of Southern California leads enrollment with 17,469 international students, followed by UC Berkeley, UC San Diego, and UCLA.
The data comes as education experts raise concerns about international enrollment under a potential second Trump administration. During Trump's first term, foreign student enrollment dropped 15%, partly due to COVID-19 restrictions but also influenced by policies like travel bans and increased scrutiny of Chinese scholars.
"The rhetoric and campaigning is important because it signals the policies to come," notes Gaurav Khanna, an economist at UC San Diego studying foreign students and workers.
Trump's campaign includes seemingly contradictory positions - promising new travel bans and maintaining a hard stance on China while also pledging automatic green cards for U.S. university graduates.
Allan E. Goodman, CEO of the Institute of International Education, remains optimistic, noting that international enrollment has historically increased over time except during extraordinary circumstances like post-9/11 and COVID-19.
STEM fields dominate study choices across institutions. The data also shows growing enrollment from African nations, with Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, Ethiopia and South Africa among top sending countries.
The UC system, which receives substantial federal funding, hosts many Chinese scholars and students. This relationship could face challenges under renewed tensions between the U.S. and China in a second Trump term.
As the political landscape evolves, California's higher education institutions continue adapting while maintaining their appeal to international students seeking world-class education opportunities.
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