Most students are from China and India; More than a third of international students study in CA, NY and TX.
By Jayshal Sood
In 2014 and 2015, more than 1.3 million foreign students entered the United States on F visas. During those two years, 136,045 Indian nationals came to the United States to study—or more than 10 percent of the total F visas issued. Only China sent more students to this country on F visas. In 2014 alone, approximately 303,700 Chinese students came to the United States on F visas.
F-1 and M-1 are typically the two categories of visas issued to international students. The F-1 visa is issued to students pursuing a full program of study in a college, university, seminary, conservatory, academic high school, private elementary school, other academic school or language training program in the United States. M-1 category visa is issued to international students pursuing a full program of study at a vocational school or other recognized non-academic school (other than in language training programs.)
677,928: The number of F visas (F-1, F-2 and F-3) issued by the United States to international students globally in 2015.
627,704: The number of F visas (F-1, F-2 and F-3) issued to international students worldwide in 2015.
582,692: The number of Chinese nationals who came to the United States on F visas in 2014 and 2014.
136,045: The number of Indian nationals who came to the United States on F visas in 2014 and 2015.
36 %: The percentage of all international students study in three US states—California, New York and Texas. California hosts 210,289 students followed by New York (134,068) and Texas (84,717).
13,788: The number of foreign students enrolled at New York University, which is the most at any US school. University of Southern California is second with 13, 062 students. Columbia University, New York (11,139), Northeastern University (11,135) and University of Illinois (10,953) are other three schools with most international students.
74%: The percentage of all F and M students that are enrolled in bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral programs.
Source: The US Department of State