One out of every five international students in the U.S. is enrolled in Business/Management programs. The number of international students in undergraduate (associate’s and bachelor’s) and graduate (master’s and doctoral) programs increased by 36% from 145,514 in 2009/10 to 197,258 in 2014/15, according to IIE Open Doors data. This data indicates total enrollment across the duration of the programs and not annual new intake.
The share of top-3 countries of origin–China, India, and S. Korea–among all international students in Business/Management programs grew from 41% (59,329) to 53% (105,429). This growth was driven by China which grew by 160% in contrast to 11% and 13% decline for India and S. Korea.
The majority of the Indian students are in master’s-level programs. Many are also in specialized master’s programs like MS in Management and not an MBA. Based on the total enrollment of about 16,000 students in 2014/15, I would estimate that annual intake of new MBA students from India is in the range of 3,000-5,000.
In contrast to India, the majority of Chinese students in Business/Management programs are in bachelor’s level degree programs (60%). Higher demand from China for longer duration bachelor’s programs (4 years), the total enrollment (stock) of Chinese students is higher than that for Indian students. I would estimate total intake of new MBA students from China would be in the range of 8,000-10,000.
Business/Management programs are still eligible for only one-year of Optional Practical Training as compared to the 36-months for STEM programs. This poses increasing challenges of finding internship and career advancement opportunities for international students.
– Rahul Choudaha, PhD