The Fall 2021 International Student Enrollment Snapshot includes the findings from a survey of 864 U.S. higher education institutions on current patterns in international student enrollment as of Fall 2021. The report focuses on international students studying at U.S. higher education institutions in person or online (in the United States or from abroad). The findings reflect how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the U.S. higher education sector and global student mobility to the United States. The report, conducted by IIE and nine partner higher education associations complements the Open Doors® Report on International Educational Exchange.
The findings from the Fall 2021 Snapshot reflect the resilience of the U.S. higher education system in the COVID-19 pandemic and its continued support for international students. With large increases in new international student enrollments, the findings point to a potential rebound of international student totals in the 2021/22 academic year, with further recovery in future years. The full picture of the 2021/22 academic year will be available in November 2022 with the release of Open Doors 2022.