A report released Friday from the Global Cities Initiative found that in the 2012-13 school year, U.S. universities hosted a record 819,644 foreign students, up 7 percent from the previous year. Using data about F-1 visas — the most common visa issued to foreign students — the authors identified several trends among the foreign student population such as: Where they come from, where they study, what they study and how much tuition, fees and living expenses they contribute to the economy. Scroll through these graphics for details:
WHERE FOREIGN STUDENTS COME FROM
The report found that half of all students came from three countries: China, India and South Korea.
Hometowns of F-1 visa foreign students from 2008-12:
WHERE FOREIGN STUDENTS GO
Foreign students tend to cluster in major metropolitan areas including New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles. But on a per capita basis (per 1,000 total students in an area), many smaller areas rank high.
Metro areas hosting F-1 visa foreign students from 2008-12:
WHAT FOREIGN STUDENTS STUDY
The report found that business, management and marketing were the most common fields of study among foreign students, followed by more science-based fields such as engineering, computer and biological sciences.
