Postsecondary Education

Characteristics of Postsecondary Students

Table A-39-1. Number and percentage of international students enrolled in U.S. postsecondary institutions, by academic level: Academic years 1969–70 through 2007–08

Academic year	Total		Undergraduate		Graduate
Academic year	Number of international students	Percent of total postsecondary enrollment	Number of international students	Percent of total undergraduate enrollment	Number of international students	Percent of total graduate enrollment
1969–70	134,959	1.69	63,296	0.92	59,112	5.28
1970–71	144,708	1.69	71,213	0.97	65,859	5.43
1971–72	140,126	1.57	71,432	0.92	59,333	4.93
1972–73	146,097	1.59	73,968	0.93	62,624	4.92
1973–74	151,066	1.57	76,946	0.93	61,893	4.61

1974–75	—	—	—	—	—	—
1975–76¹	179,344	1.60	95,949	0.99	83,395	5.54
1976–77¹	203,070	1.84	107,720	1.14	95,350	6.04
1977–78¹	235,510	2.09	132,760	1.37	102,750	6.55
1978–79¹	263,940	2.34	149,030	1.54	114,910	7.29

1979–80¹	286,343	2.47	172,378	1.72	94,207	5.99
1980–81¹	311,880	2.58	187,660	1.79	99,110	6.11
1981–82¹	326,300	2.64	195,150	1.81	106,290	6.57
1982–83¹	336,990	2.71	202,760	1.87	110,270	6.89
1983–84¹	338,890	2.72	197,480	1.82	118,820	7.34

1984–85¹	342,113	2.79	197,741	1.86	122,476	7.54
1985–86¹	343,780	2.81	187,660	1.77	132,430	8.02
1986–87¹	349,610	2.80	181,230	1.68	146,100	8.57
1987–88¹	356,190	2.79	176,660	1.60	156,190	9.08
1988–89¹	366,350	2.81	172,470	1.52	165,380	9.51

1989–90¹	386,850	2.86	184,590	1.57	169,820	9.46
1990–91¹	407,529	2.95	189,900	1.59	182,130	9.79
1991–92	419,585	2.92	197,070	1.58	191,330	9.97
1992–93	438,618	3.03	210,080	1.68	193,330	9.92
1993–94	449,749	3.14	213,610	1.73	201,030	10.15

1994–95	452,635	3.17	221,500	1.81	191,738	9.51
1995–96	453,787	3.18	218,620	1.79	190,092	9.36
1996–97	457,984	3.19	218,743	1.77	190,244	9.32
1997–98	481,280	3.32	223,276	1.79	207,510	10.11
1998–99	490,933	3.38	235,802	1.90	211,426	10.21

1999–2000	514,723	3.48	237,211	1.87	218,219	10.34
2000–01	547,867	3.58	254,429	1.93	238,497	11.06
2001–02	582,996	3.66	261,079	1.90	264,749	11.97
2002–03	586,323	3.53	260,103	1.82	267,876	11.38
2003–04	572,509	3.39	248,200	1.71	274,310	11.28

2004–05	565,039	3.27	239,212	1.62	264,410	10.61
2005–06	564,766	3.23	236,342	1.58	259,717	10.29
2006–07	582,984	3.28	238,050	1.57	264,288	10.27
2007–08	623,805	3.42	243,360	1.56	276,842	10.47
— Not available.
¹ The data collection process changed in 1974–75; thus, refugees were counted from 1975–76 to 1990–91. After 1990–91, refugees were no longer counted.
NOTE: This table uses data from both the Open Doors International Student Census and the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) for all years shown. Total estimates include enrollments for other academic programs that are not separately shown. Undergraduate estimates include associate's and bachelor's enrollments. Graduate estimates include master's, doctoral, professional training, and unspecified enrollments. For more information on the Open Doors International Student Census and on IPEDS, see supplemental note 3.
SOURCE: Open Doors: Report on International Educational Exchange. New York: Institute of International Education. U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), Higher Education General Information Survey (HEGIS), “Fall Enrollment in Colleges and Universities” surveys, 1969 through 1985, and Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System, “Fall Enrollment Survey” (IPEDS-EF:86–99), and Spring 2001 through Spring 2008.

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