For a third year, Taiwan was the seventh largest source of international students in the United States. The total number of Taiwan students enrolled at U.S. colleges and universities also increased for the second year in a row. According to the 2017 Annual Open Doors Report from the Institute for Educational Exchange (IIE), there were 21,516 Taiwan students enrolled at U.S. institutions, an increase of 1.8 percent over the prior year.
During the 2016-2017 academic year, the largest portion of Taiwan students in the United States (41.6 percent) were enrolled in graduate study. Over 30 percent of all Taiwan students in the United States were undergraduates, a 3 percent increase over the prior year; Optional Practical Training (OPT) programs were selected by 19.6 percent of Taiwan students (and increase of 5 percent). The largest change was for short term non-degree programs. They comprised only 8.4 percent of all Taiwan students, but saw an increase of over 13 percent.
Studying abroad is a two-way exchange. Americans studying for academic credit at colleges or universities in Taiwan also increased more than 11 percent in the past year. During the 2015-2016 academic year, 980 U.S. students were enrolled in Taiwan institutions. This was 100 more students that during the 2014-2015 academic year.
Last year, the total number of international students at U.S. colleges and universities surpassed one million for the first time. This year, the total number grew slightly to reach 1,078,822 – an increase of 3.4 percent from the previous year.
The top places of origin for international students studying in the United States were China, India, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Canada, Vietnam, Taiwan, Japan, Mexico, and Brazil. The top host states were California, New York, Texas, Massachusetts, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Florida, Ohio, Michigan, and Indiana. Each of these states saw increases in international students in 2016/17. For more data, infographics, and resources visit https://www.iie.org/OpenDoors.
The Open Doors Report, compiled annually by the Institute of Educational Exchange, is a comprehensive information resource on international students at higher education institutions in the United States, and U.S. students studying abroad for academic credit at colleges or universities.
The release of the 2017 Open Door Report is a part of International Education Week (IEW), a joint initiative of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education to attract future leaders from abroad to study, learn, and exchange experiences running from November 13th to 17th, 2017.
EducationUSA is a U.S. Department of State global network of student advising centers. EducationUSA offers accurate, comprehensive, and current information to help students navigate the application process and prepare for study in the United States. In Taiwan, EducationUSA Advising Center is operated by the Foundation for Scholarly Exchange.
The American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) and EducationUSA are celebrating International Education Week (IEW) with a series of events in Taiwan promoting study abroad. For more information, please visit AIT’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/AIT.Social.Media.
International Education Week activities in Taiwan include:
- “My U.S. Experience” Student Profile Series: AIT Director Kin Moy and Fulbright Executive Director Dr. William Vocke have launched a Facebook student profile series featuring real stories from real students from Taiwan who have used EducationUSA to study in the United States. Please visit AIT’s Facebook page for additional information: https://www.facebook.com/AIT.Social.Media
- Virtual Study Abroad Fair: The EducationUSA Virtual College Fair will be held from 5:00 p.m. on November 15th to 5:00 a.m. on November 16th (Taiwan time). Please register at com.
- Advising and Outreach: During IEW, the EducationUSA Advising Center will host a public event on U.S. scholarships and financial aid on November 16th, from 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. This event will be broadcast live to the Taichung American Corner. Advance registration is required. Please register using the EducationUSA website: http://www.educationusa.tw/dispPageBox/CtUstudy.aspx?ddsPageID=USTUDYABA&
AIT and EducationUSA encourage Taiwan students to study in the United States where they can benefit from world-class educational opportunities. EducationUSA provides accurate and comprehensive information on studying in the United States FREE to Taiwan students. The Taiwan EducationUSA Advising Center (www.educationusa.tw) is located at the Foundation for Scholarly Exchange (www.fulbright.org.tw).
