The number of international students enrolled in US higher education grew by 10% in 2014/15 – marking the ninth consecutive year of enrolment growth for the US and the biggest year-over-year jump in 35 years. All told, the number of foreign students in US higher education institutions reached 974,926 in 2014/15, for an overall increase of 88,874 students compared to the year before. Meanwhile, the number of commencements – the all-important measure of students enrolling for the first-time in US institutions – reached 293,766 for an increase of 8.8% over the year before.

These are some of the many attention-grabbing findings from the 2015 edition of the Institute of International Education’s (IIE) annual Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange.

The top 15 sending markets for US higher education, 2014/15. Source: Open Doors 2014/15

Please see the NAFSA website for more detailed analysis by state or region, and the following infographic for additional background on key international enrolment trends in the US.

A quick look at international students in the US, 2014/15. Source: Open Doors 2015