An analysis of international student inflow into the United States

An increasing number of students cross national borders to pursue higher education abroad in this era of globalization. International students in US higher education institutions constitute more than three and a half percent of total enrollment. These international students benefit from high quality American education. In return, they contribute to US economic strength and in research and academic activities. Though many stay on in the US as skilled workforce, many others return to their home countries, possibly promoting better understanding of America through exposure and sustained contact. No comprehensive research on the issues of international student migration has been done, despite the importance of the topic, primarily due to the paucity of data. This dissertation analyzes the effects of study abroad factors and the role of US government policy in the number of international students in the US. It further investigates immigration patterns of international students and the influence of American higher education experiences on their attitudes and views. The aggregated country-level analysis shows that economic wealth of the sending country, US immigration policies, quality of higher education in home country, the English language, and economic as well as political networks between the home country and the US are significant factors in explaining the volume of international student inflow. The individual-level survey analysis supports that students seek American degree as an investment for the future, expecting better employment opportunities. The US attracts international students with high quality education, prevalence of English, prestige of an American degree, and America's favorable image in their home countries. Students select their study abroad institutions based on its brand value, quality of faculty, funding availability, facilities, and information availability on the Internet. It is not clear whether the students change their attitudes toward the US, develop a global identity, and embrace more democratic values as they stay longer. However, the dissertation finds that Muslim students have a higher probability of developing a global identity pursuing their education in the US.