The Department of Homeland Security, Uniter States’, Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) has revealed a new data showing that the number of active visa holders has recovered this year as compared to the pre-pandemic enrolments. The number of international students dipped below the one-million student mark during the pandemic which were the lowest numbers since 2014.

As per the SEVIS reports, as of January 2023, the number of international students with active Study Visas has reached to 1.08 million in the US. This represents -5.4% dip overall as compared to the data in Jan 2020 which was a total of 1.14 million just before the onset of the pandemic.

Along with the general revival in student numbers this year, SEVIS is also outlining some significant shifts in sending markets. China has been the top sending market for a longer period and has driven the enrolment growth in the US. But, the numbers of Chinese student with active visas has lessened to an approx. -29% fall. The numbers have declined from 368,800 in Jan 2020 to 262,992 as of Jan 2023. However, the number of Indian students has reported a spike from 194,556 to 253,631 over the same duration with overall growth of just over 30%. Other than India, as of Jan 2023, Canada has shown the overall growth of +7.25% and Nigeria of +22%.

In 2023, the growth is distributed, even if in smaller measures, across a broader domain of sending markets with Bangladesh (+75%; 16,115 students as of January 2023) and Colombia (+35%; 15,774 students) being among the important gainers over that duration.

This shift point towards more diversified enrolment base in the upcoming future.

Source: monitor.icef.com