The Ohio State University is ranked in the top 20 nationally among doctoral institutions hosting international students, according to a national report released today.
Ohio State is 20th in the nation and 6th in the Big Ten with 6,865* international students enrolled in 2020, a decrease of 13 percent from 2019.
Ohio State is 39th in the nation and 7th in the Big Ten with 773 students studying abroad in 2019-20, a considerable decline from its top 10 ranking in 2018-19. The university is ranked 10th for the number of students participating in short-term programs with 614 students studying abroad for one to eight weeks during the academic year.
These findings were issued as part of the 2021 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.
The decline in international student enrollment and study abroad participation is due to the many challenges of COVID-19 including visa delays and travel restrictions.
International student enrollment has been declining in the United States since 2015-16 and recorded a decrease of 1.8% in 2019-20. Competition to attract international students also is rising with Canada, Australia and European Union countries becoming popular locations.
“Ohio State remains an attractive choice for international students,” said Gil Latz, vice provost for global strategies and international affairs. “The difficulties of the pandemic proved to be substantial, but we are confident that our enrollment will rebound in the coming years considering the quality of our academic programs and strong recruiting efforts.”
COVID-19 significantly impacted the number of Ohio State students studying abroad. The vast majority of Ohio State’s programs are short-term, faculty led and many take place summer term. In 2019, 1,454 students had enrolled in programs that were ultimately cancelled and 157 students returned early or experienced interruptions of their programs; 145 summer programs were cancelled.
Ohio State had an additional 261 students who participated in non-credit education abroad experiences, but those are not collected or included in the Open Doors data.
“With some travel restrictions lifting and vaccination rates rising, we hope that more of our students will be able to study abroad next year,” Latz said. “Global experiences are critical for students to broaden their perspectives and gain knowledge of their respective fields of study through an international lens.”
The 2021 Open Doors Report is released as part of the nationwide observance of International Education Week (November 15-19), 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 support’s 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.