Skip Navigation
Digest of Education Statistics
2001 Tables and Figures All Years of Tables and Figures Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest

Table 416. Foreign students enrolled in institutions of higher education in the United States and outlying areas, by continent, region, and selected countries of origin: 1980-81 to 1999-2000

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
                           |     1980-81    |     1985-86    |    1990-91     |    1995-96     |    1996-97     |    1997-98     |    1998-99     |    1999-2000
    Continent, region,     |________________|________________|________________|________________|________________|________________|________________|________________
        and country        | Number |Percent| Number |Percent| Number |Percent| Number |Percent| Number |Percent| Number |Percent| Number |Percent| Number |Percent
___________________________|________|_______|________|_______|________|_______|________|_______|________|_______|________|_______|________|_______|________|_______
             1             |   2    |   3   |   4    |   5   |   6    |   7   |   8    |   9   |   10   |  11   |   12   |  13   |   14   |  15   |   16   |  17
___________________________|________|_______|________|_______|________|_______|________|_______|________|_______|________|_______|________|_______|________|_______
   Total ..................|311,880 | 100.0 |343,780 | 100.0 |407,530 | 100.0 |453,787 | 100.0 |457,984 | 100.0 |481,280 | 100.0 |490,933 | 100.0 |514,723 | 100.0
                           |________|_______|________|_______|________|_______|________|_______|________|_______|________|_______|________|_______|________|_______
Africa ....................| 38,180 |  12.2 | 34,190 |   9.9 | 23,800 |   5.8 | 20,844 |   4.6 | 22,078 |   4.8 | 23,162 |   4.8 | 26,222 |   5.3 | 30,292 |   5.9
                           |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |
   Eastern Africa .........|  6,260 |   2.0 |  6,730 |   2.0 |  7,590 |   1.9 |  7,596 |   1.7 |  8,628 |   1.9 |  8,951 |   1.9 | 10,189 |   2.1 | 11,559 |   2.2
   Central Africa .........|  1,130 |   0.4 |  1,540 |   0.4 |  1,650 |   0.4 |  1,346 |   0.3 |  1,187 |   0.3 |  1,265 |   0.3 |  1,413 |   0.3 |  1,775 |   0.3
   North Africa ...........|  7,310 |   2.3 |  5,980 |   1.7 |  4,540 |   1.1 |  3,422 |   0.8 |  3,469 |   0.8 |  3,862 |   0.8 |  4,151 |   0.8 |  4,525 |   0.9
   Southern Africa ........|  1,480 |   0.5 |  2,360 |   0.7 |  2,840 |   0.7 |  2,657 |   0.6 |  2,678 |   0.6 |  2,608 |   0.5 |  2,956 |   0.6 |  3,247 |   0.6
   West Africa ............| 22,000 |   7.1 | 17,580 |   5.1 |  7,180 |   1.8 |  5,818 |   1.3 |  6,115 |   1.3 |  6,471 |   1.3 |  7,513 |   1.5 |  9,176 |   1.8
     Nigeria ..............| 17,350 |   5.6 | 13,710 |   4.0 |  3,710 |   0.9 |  2,093 |   0.5 |  2,184 |   0.5 |  2,436 |   0.5 |  2,876 |   0.6 |  3,602 |   0.7
                           |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |
Europe ....................| 25,330 |   8.1 | 34,310 |  10.0 | 49,640 |  12.2 | 67,358 |  14.8 | 68,315 |  14.9 | 71,616 |  14.9 | 73,809 |  15.0 | 78,485 |  15.2
                           |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |
   Eastern Europe .........|  1,670 |   0.5 |  1,770 |   0.5 |  4,780 |   1.2 | 18,032 |   4.0 | 19,471 |   4.3 | 21,314 |   4.4 | 23,131 |   4.7 | 25,731 |   5.0
   Western Europe .........| 23,660 |   7.6 | 32,540 |   9.5 | 44,860 |  11.0 | 49,326 |  10.9 | 48,844 |  10.7 | 50,301 |  10.5 | 50,674 |  10.3 | 52,754 |  10.2
     France ...............|    --- |   --- |  3,680 |   1.1 |  5,630 |   1.4 |  5,710 |   1.3 |  5,692 |   1.2 |  5,992 |   1.2 |  6,241 |   1.3 |  6,877 |   1.3
     Germany\1\ ...........|  3,310 |   1.1 |  4,730 |   1.4 |  7,000 |   1.7 |  9,017 |   2.0 |  8,990 |   2.0 |  9,309 |   1.9 |  9,568 |   1.9 |  9,800 |   1.9
     Greece ...............|  3,750 |   1.2 |  4,440 |   1.3 |  4,360 |   1.1 |  3,365 |   0.7 |  3,010 |   0.7 |  3,065 |   0.6 |  2,847 |   0.6 |  2,782 |   0.5
     Spain ................|    --- |   --- |  1,740 |   0.5 |  4,300 |   1.1 |  4,809 |   1.1 |  4,673 |   1.0 |  4,371 |   0.9 |  4,195 |   0.9 |  4,337 |   0.8
     United Kingdom .......|  4,440 |   1.4 |  5,940 |   1.7 |  7,300 |   1.8 |  7,799 |   1.7 |  7,357 |   1.6 |  7,534 |   1.6 |  7,765 |   1.6 |  7,990 |   1.6
                           |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |
Latin America .............| 49,810 |  16.0 | 45,480 |  13.2 | 47,580 |  11.7 | 47,253 |  10.4 | 49,592 |  10.8 | 51,368 |  10.7 | 55,436 |  11.3 | 62,098 |  12.1
                           |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |
   Caribbean ..............| 10,650 |   3.4 | 11,100 |   3.2 | 12,610 |   3.1 | 10,737 |   2.4 | 11,796 |   2.6 | 10,855 |   2.3 | 11,884 |   2.4 | 13,828 |   2.7
   Central America ........| 12,970 |   4.2 | 12,740 |   3.7 | 15,950 |   3.9 | 14,220 |   3.1 | 14,524 |   3.2 | 15,211 |   3.2 | 15,455 |   3.1 | 16,854 |   3.3
     Mexico ...............|  6,730 |   2.2 |  5,460 |   1.6 |  6,740 |   1.7 |  8,687 |   1.9 |  8,975 |   2.0 |  9,559 |   2.0 |  9,641 |   2.0 | 10,607 |   2.1
   South America ..........| 26,190 |   8.4 | 21,640 |   6.3 | 19,020 |   4.7 | 22,296 |   4.9 | 23,272 |   5.1 | 25,302 |   5.3 | 28,097 |   5.7 | 31,416 |   6.1
     Brazil ...............|    --- |   --- |  2,840 |   0.8 |  3,900 |   1.0 |  5,497 |   1.2 |  6,168 |   1.3 |  6,982 |   1.5 |  8,052 |   1.6 |  8,600 |   1.7
     Colombia .............|    --- |   --- |  4,010 |   1.2 |  3,180 |   0.8 |  3,462 |   0.8 |  3,636 |   0.8 |  4,345 |   0.9 |  5,041 |   1.0 |  6,277 |   1.2
     Venezuela ............| 11,750 |   3.8 |  7,040 |   2.0 |  2,890 |   0.7 |  4,456 |   1.0 |  4,590 |   1.0 |  4,731 |   1.0 |  5,133 |   1.0 |  5,125 |   1.0
                           |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |
Middle East ...............| 84,710 |  27.2 | 52,720 |  15.3 | 33,420 |   8.2 | 30,563 |   6.7 | 29,841 |   6.5 | 30,962 |   6.4 | 32,836 |   6.7 | 34,897 |   6.8
     Iran .................| 47,550 |  15.2 | 14,210 |   4.1 |  6,260 |   1.5 |  2,628 |   0.6 |  2,129 |   0.5 |  1,863 |   0.4 |  1,660 |   0.3 |  1,885 |   0.4
     Jordan ...............|  6,140 |   2.0 |  6,590 |   1.9 |  4,320 |   1.1 |  2,222 |   0.5 |  2,094 |   0.5 |  2,027 |   0.4 |  2,039 |   0.4 |  2,074 |   0.4
     Lebanon ..............|  6,770 |   2.2 |  7,090 |   2.1 |  3,900 |   1.0 |  1,554 |   0.3 |  1,370 |   0.3 |  1,321 |   0.3 |  1,315 |   0.3 |  1,582 |   0.3
     Saudi Arabia .........| 10,440 |   3.3 |  6,900 |   2.0 |  3,590 |   0.9 |  4,191 |   0.9 |  4,264 |   0.9 |  4,571 |   0.9 |  4,931 |   1.0 |  5,156 |   1.0
     Turkey ...............|    --- |   --- |  2,460 |   0.7 |  4,080 |   1.0 |  7,678 |   1.7 |  8,194 |   1.8 |  9,081 |   1.9 |  9,377 |   1.9 | 10,100 |   2.0
                           |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |
North America\2\ ..........| 14,790 |   4.7 | 16,030 |   4.7 | 18,950 |   4.6 | 23,644 |   5.2 | 23,611 |   5.2 | 22,613 |   4.7 | 23,302 |   4.7 | 24,128 |   4.7
     Canada ...............| 14,320 |   4.6 | 15,410 |   4.5 | 18,350 |   4.5 | 23,005 |   5.1 | 22,984 |   5.0 | 22,051 |   4.6 | 22,746 |   4.6 | 23,544 |   4.6
                           |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |
Oceania .................. |  4,180 |   1.3 |  4,030 |   1.2 |  4,230 |   1.0 |  4,202 |   0.9 |  3,690 |   0.8 |  3,893 |   0.8 |  4,228 |   0.9 |  4,676 |   0.9
                           |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |
Asia ......................| 94,640 |  30.3 |156,830 |  45.6 |229,830 |  56.4 |259,893 |  57.3 |260,743 |  56.9 |277,508 |  57.7 |275,076 |  56.0 |280,146 |  54.4
                           |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |
   East Asia ..............| 51,650 |  16.6 | 80,720 |  23.5 |146,020 |  35.8 |166,717 |  36.7 |167,935 |  36.7 |178,256 |  37.0 |177,141 |  36.1 |180,146 |  35.0
     China ................|  2,770 |   0.9 | 13,980 |   4.1 | 39,600 |   9.7 | 39,613 |   8.7 | 42,503 |   9.3 | 46,958 |   9.8 | 51,001 |  10.4 | 54,466 |  10.6
     Hong Kong ............|  9,660 |   3.1 | 10,710 |   3.1 | 12,630 |   3.1 | 12,018 |   2.6 | 10,942 |   2.4 |  9,665 |   2.0 |  8,735 |   1.8 |  7,545 |   1.5
     Japan ................| 13,500 |   4.3 | 13,360 |   3.9 | 36,610 |   9.0 | 45,531 |  10.0 | 46,292 |  10.1 | 47,073 |   9.8 | 46,406 |   9.5 | 46,872 |   9.1
     Korea, Republic of ...|  6,150 |   2.0 | 18,660 |   5.4 | 23,360 |   5.7 | 36,231 |   8.0 | 37,130 |   8.1 | 42,890 |   8.9 | 39,199 |   8.0 | 41,191 |   8.0
     Taiwan ...............| 19,460 |   6.2 | 23,770 |   6.9 | 33,530 |   8.2 | 32,702 |   7.2 | 30,487 |   6.7 | 30,855 |   6.4 | 31,043 |   6.3 | 29,234 |   5.7
   South and Central Asia .| 14,540 |   4.7 | 25,800 |   7.5 | 42,370 |  10.4 | 45,401 |  10.0 | 44,256 |   9.7 | 47,761 |   9.9 | 52,602 |  10.7 | 58,148 |  11.3
     India ................|  9,250 |   3.0 | 16,070 |   4.7 | 28,860 |   7.1 | 31,743 |   7.0 | 30,641 |   6.7 | 33,818 |   7.0 | 37,482 |   7.6 | 42,337 |   8.2
     Pakistan .............|  2,990 |   1.0 |  5,440 |   1.6 |  7,730 |   1.9 |  6,427 |   1.4 |  6,095 |   1.3 |  5,821 |   1.2 |  5,905 |   1.2 |  6,107 |   1.2
   South East Asia ........| 28,450 |   9.1 | 50,310 |  14.6 | 41,440 |  10.2 | 47,774 |  10.5 | 48,550 |  10.6 | 51,491 |  10.7 | 45,333 |   9.2 | 41,852 |   8.1
     Indonesia ............|  3,250 |   1.0 |  8,210 |   2.4 |  9,520 |   2.3 | 12,820 |   2.8 | 12,461 |   2.7 | 13,282 |   2.8 | 12,142 |   2.5 | 11,300 |   2.2
     Malaysia .............|  6,010 |   1.9 | 23,020 |   6.7 | 13,610 |   3.3 | 14,015 |   3.1 | 14,527 |   3.2 | 14,597 |   3.0 | 11,557 |   2.4 |  9,074 |   1.8
     Philippines ..........|    --- |   --- |  3,920 |   1.1 |  4,270 |   1.0 |  3,127 |   0.7 |  2,796 |   0.6 |  2,801 |   0.6 |  2,864 |   0.6 |  3,143 |   0.6
     Singapore ............|    --- |   --- |  3,930 |   1.1 |  4,500 |   1.1 |  4,098 |   0.9 |  3,727 |   0.8 |  3,843 |   0.8 |  4,030 |   0.8 |  4,250 |   0.8
     Thailand .............|  6,550 |   2.1 |  6,940 |   2.0 |  7,090 |   1.7 | 12,165 |   2.7 | 13,481 |   2.9 | 15,090 |   3.1 | 12,489 |   2.5 | 10,983 |   2.1
                           |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |
Stateless\3\ ..............|    240 |   0.1 |    190 |   0.1 |     80 | (\4\) |     30 | (\4\) |    109 | (\4\) |    159 | (\4\) |     28 | (\4\) |      7 | (\4\)
___________________________|________|_______|________|_______|________|_______|________|_______|________|_______|________|_______|________|_______|________|_______

---Not available.
\1\Data for 1980-81 and 1985-96 are for the former Federal Republic of Germany.
\2\Excludes Mexico and Central America, which are included with Latin America.
\3\Home country unknown or undeclared.
\4\Less than .05 percent.

NOTE: Totals and subtotals include other countries not shown separately. Data are for "nonimmigrants," i.e., students who have not migrated to this country. Detail may not sum to totals due to rounding.

SOURCE: Institute of International Education, "Open Doors," various years. (Latest edition copyright @ 2000 by the Institute of International Education. All rights reserved.) (This table was prepared April 2001.)


2001 Tables and Figures All Years of Tables and Figures Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest