Nigeria has earned a 10th place ranking among the nations with the most students seeking education in the United States of America (USA), according to the 2022 Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange.
The report, released yesterday (November 14 2022), keeps tabs on the number of students crossing the globe to gain practical, international experience that they can apply in their careers and life in a global society. The study observed that new international student enrollment in the United States has rebounded and increased by 80 per cent, raising the total number of international students enrolled in U.S. institutions by 4 per cent. This strong rebound and growth confirm that the United States remains the destination of choice in higher education, with over 948,000 international students.
International students are returning to in-person studies in the United States, with 90 per cent of all enrolled students attending in-person classes. The return to campuses allows international students to build life-long connections with American peers, increase collaboration within and across fields of study, and grow America’s international partnerships to address current and global challenges.
The new Open Doors Report indicates there was a 12.3 per cent increase in the number of students from Nigeria studying in the United States for the 2021/2022 academic year. This represents a total of 14,438 Nigerian students – 33 per cent of all African students studying in the United States. This means that Nigeria remains the leading source of students from Africa and the 10th largest country worldwide sending international students to the United States.
Nigerian students in the United States primarily study at the graduate level, with the remaining 31 per cent enrolled in undergraduate studies, 17 per cent pursuing optional practical training and 2 per cent in non-degree programmes or short-term studies.
Open Doors 2022, released yesterday by the Institute of International Education (IIE) and the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, highlights the continued competitiveness of the U.S. higher education sector as a destination of choice for international students. Also, it captures the growing interest in international educational exchange among U.S. students. The release of the new Open Doors data marks the celebration of International Education Week, a joint initiative of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education, to prepare Americans for a global environment and attract future leaders from other countries to study, learn and exchange experiences in the United States. The Open Doors report is published annually by the Institute of International Education in partnership with the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
