In conjunction with the Academic Cooperation Association (ACA), IIE coordinated this survey among international students in the U.S. on their attitudes towards higher education in the U.S., and their motivations in choosing a college or university in the U.S.
This report discusses international students in the context of the U.S. higher education system and details the research findings of a survey conducted among international students in the United States. The overall objectives of this survey were to acquire a deeper understanding of students’ motivations and criteria for choosing an international education and to identify the factors that come into play when a student is considering a study period in the United States. The survey was conducted among international students at 24 institutions in the United States, ranging from large research institutions to small liberal arts colleges, as well as community colleges. The 420 survey respondents represented every region of the world and were representative of the overall diversity of the international student population in the United States.