Foreign Students Brought $21 Billion to US Economy Last Year
By Julia Lawrence. International students studying in the United States in the 2011-2012 academic year contributed more than $21.8 billion to the economy, according to research by the National Association of Foreign Student Advisers. The report, titled What is the Value of International Students to Your State in 2012? also finds that the biggest beneficiaries of the foreign students largesse over that year were California, New York and Texas. Marlene M. Johnson, NAFSA Executive Director and CEO, said the international students don’t just bring financial benefits to the states that host them. They also contribute academically to US colleges and universities while providing cultural value to the surrounding communities of their schools.
According to the NAFSA, international students, as well as US students who choose to pursue studies abroad, create a strong cultural link between other countries and the United States. In addition, bringing international students into American classrooms provides a global perspective that is often limited or even non-existent. Foreign students in US colleges and universities often enroll in some of the toughest engineering and science courses, thus making it economically feasible for schools to offer them to more students including those that come from the US. Outside of class, spending by foreign students supports many local businesses, and their money also goes to benefit other parts of the local economy via rent and transportation payments and other expenses. More...