In 2019, more than 1.5 million students came to the United States from all across the globe. The US is by far the largest international student market in the world, but that market is shrinking. The number of international students in the US fell 1.8% in 2019, on the heels of a similar decline in 2018. Bangladesh and Pakistan bucked the regional trend, growing 4.3% and 2.4%, respectively. Each country sent around 10,000 students to the US in 2019 and both have significant growth potential. Newly elected President Joe Biden’s administration could mean a significant shift in a number of international relationships, which could in turn affect the flow of international students to the US. But some of the trends we’ve observed will undoubtedly continue regardless of the outcome of the election, and of course any shifts that do happen will be in the context of those already occurring trends.

In 2019, more than 1.5 million students came to the United States from all across the globe. The US is by far the largest international student market in the world, but that market is shrinking. The number of international students in the US fell 1.8% in 2019, on the heels of a similar decline in 2018. Bangladesh and Pakistan bucked the regional trend, growing 4.3% and 2.4%, respectively. Each country sent around 10,000 students to the US in 2019 and both have significant growth potential. Newly elected President Joe Biden’s administration could mean a significant shift in a number of international relationships, which could in turn affect the flow of international students to the US. But some of the trends we’ve observed will undoubtedly continue regardless of the outcome of the election, and of course any shifts that do happen will be in the context of those already occurring trends.