The Ohio State University is ranked 30th among doctoral institutions hosting international students and 40th for the number of students studying abroad, according to a national report released today.
Ohio State enrolled 6,896* international students in 2022, an increase of 4.4 percent from 2021, and 999 students studied abroad in 2021-22 compared to only nine the previous academic year during the height of the pandemic.
These findings were issued as part of the 2023 Open Doors Report, an annual survey published by the Institute of International Education in partnership with the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
“After experiencing the many challenges brought about by the pandemic, we are finally seeing an upward trend in the growth of our international student population and the ability for our students to study abroad,” said Kaya Şahin, vice provost for global strategies and international affairs. “Our international students and education abroad opportunities contribute greatly to enriching the global learning experience for our Buckeye community and advance Ohio State’s cross-cultural engagement.”
International student enrollment in the United States has been increasing over the last two years and rose 11.5 percent in 2022-23. The slight rise in the number of international students enrolled at Ohio State can be attributed to more students continuing their academic programs through optional practical training in the United States after graduation. As an example, Ohio State had 1,298 students participating in Optional Practical Training in 2022 and 1,204 in 2021.
In 2022 international students at Ohio State hailed from more than 120 countries including, China (3,289); India (759); and South Korea (315), which follows the national trend.
As travel restrictions began to lift, Ohio State students were able to resume studying abroad with the vast majority participating in short-term programs for two to eight weeks and all earned academic credit for their experience. The top three destinations align with the national data and include programs in the United Kingdom, Italy and Spain.
The 2023 Open Doors Report is released as part of the nationwide observance of International Education Week (November 13-17), a joint initiative established by the U.S. Departments of Education and State.
At Ohio State, International Education Week is celebrated through a number of activities supported by the Office of International Affairs, which facilitates and supports Ohio State’s international initiatives and advances global opportunities for students, faculty and staff. For more information, visit oia.osu.edu.
*The IIE’s collection of enrollment data for international students includes two categories of students who are not currently enrolled at Ohio State in classes for credit. They include “Optional Practical Training” students who are not taking classes but are continuing their education through practical training in their field of study, and exchange students who are pursuing continuing (non-degree) education.