Missouri ranks 10th in the country for its number of international students enrolled in higher education. That’s according to OpenDoors, an educational statistics data center, which has released its 2023-24 higher educational data report.
According to the data, the number of international students at Missouri’s higher education institutions has increased by 34.6% since last year. That’s the highest shift among all 50 states – by a large margin. The next highest increase was in Michigan, which saw a 13.8% increase in international student enrollment since last year. The exact numbers indicate Missouri went from 24,260 international students in the 2022-23 school year to 32,647 students in the 2023-24 school year.
University of Central Missouri ranks first among Missouri institutions for its number of international students, with 6,069 coming from outside of the U.S. Washington University, Saint Louis University, Webster University, and University of Missouri - Kansas City round out rest of the top five. Demographically, 57.4% of the international students in Missouri come from India, and 17.1% come from China. 2% of the international students come from South Korea.
“I think [India and China] becomes the natural place to really try to recruit international students,” said Bradley Curs, who is MU’s Department Chair of Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis. “Because of the large population bases, because of the higher education systems as they’re set up in China and India, you’re going to see those countries being the largest senders of students.”
When it comes to areas of study, 43.6% of international students are enrolled in either math & computer science or engineering. The interest in those fields is an apparent demand for most institutions trying to recruit international students. Lisa Blazer, the vice president of enrollment management at Webster University, said STEM programs provide benefits for international students that others don’t.
“Part of the reason for (the interest in STEM) is Optional Practical Training, where an international student can actually work for a year after they graduate from a program,” Blazer said. “If they are in a STEM program, they have the opportunity to extend that two more years.”
This advantage allows budget-conscious institutions to expand the STEM programs that could attract international students – who typically pay more tuition than local students. It’s also advantageous for international students who are facing increased restrictions relating to F-1 Visas in the past year.
But with a new administration set to take the helm in the country, administrations are prepared for a downward trend in international enrollment. This has caused schools like Webster to put a priority on the actual process to acquire a visa.
“It’s kind of a waiting game to see how students are doing with their visa appointments,” Blazer said. “Our staff here at Webster are working with students and doing webinars to make sure that they’re prepared for their interview.”
Historically, states on the East Coast and West Coast have been the best at attracting international students. This is mostly due to familiarity and proximity, with students in California being closer to hubs such as India and China and students in New York being closer to Canada and Nigeria. Despite this, the Midwest has its own appeal because of lower cost of living and proximity to other states.
“Some of the international students we’ve talked to have said what they love about the United States is that they can go to different states, and it’s a completely different place,” Blazer said. “The great thing about the Midwest, most specifically Missouri, is that we are right here in the middle of the country. (International students) can get to other places.”
Whether it’s due to location, costs or field of study, the data suggests that Missouri is making its appeal to be a home for international students.
