Pakistani F1 Student Enrollment in US Rising at Slowest Rate in 5 Years

[Riaz Haq]

Enrollment of Pakistani students on US F1 visa rose just 5.6% to 7,957 in 2018/19, the slowest rate in 5 years. It's in sharp contrast to 27% jump in Pakistani student enrollment to 28,000 in China this year.

Pakistani F1 Students in US. Source: IIE

Rate of increase in Pakistani students on F-1 visas declined to 5.6%, down from 8.5% in 2014/15 and 14.7% in 2015/16. However, the total number of Pakistani students on F1 visa in the United States has climbed from 5,354 to 7,957. Enrollment of international students from Pakistan on F1 visa declined from a peak of nearly 9,000 in 2001/02 to a low of 4,600 in 2011/12.

US Non-Immigrant Visa Rejection Rates. Source US State Dept via Qua...

Total number of foreign students studying in the United States is nearly 1.1 million, the largest in the world. China hosts nearly 492,000 foreign students. New international student enrollment is declining in the US while it is rapidly climbing in China.

Pakistan (7,957) now ranks 22nd among nations sending students to study in the United States.  China (369,548), India (202,014), South Korea (52.250), Saudi Arabia (37,080) and Canada (26,122) occupy the top 5 positions in terms of the number of international students in the United States.

Number of foreign students in the United States from various countries of origin is heavily skewed by visa refusal rates. 48% of applications from Pakistan for non-immigrant travel visa to the United States, including F-1 student visa, are rejected, a much higher rate than 27% refusals in India. Highest refusal rates are for applicants from Somalia (90.2%) and Iran (87.7%). The lowest are in Argentina (1.7%) and Liechtenstein ( 0%). 

In China, South Korea is the leading sender with 50,600 students enrolled in 2018, followed by Thailand (28,600 students), and, in a virtual tie for second place, Pakistan and its 28,000 students in Chinese institutions and schools last year. Rounding out the top five source countries are India (23,200 students in 2018) and the US (21,000 students).

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[Riaz Haq]

Applications for non-immigrant travel #visa to #US, including F-1 #student visa, are rejected at rejected at much a higher rate in #Pakistan 48% than in #India 26%. Highest refusals: #Somalia 90.2%, #Iran 87.7%. Lowest: #Argentina 1.7%, #Liechtenstein 0% https://qz.com/1696508/what-are-the-chances-of-being-rejected-for-a...

Nearly 6.4 million people came to the United States on a B visa in 2017. This common visa type—B-1, for business travel; B-2, for tourism; or the combo B-1/B-2, for a bit of both—is issued for short-term travel to the US. If you plan to attend business meetings or conferences, spend a week on vacation in Hawaii or Florida, or visit family in the US, this is the visa you’re likely to need.

Not everyone requires one, of course. Citizens of 38 countries are eligible for the ESTA visa waiver system, allowing them to bypass ordinary visa requirements for short-term business or tourist travel. They are mostly rich nations in Europe and Asia.

But despite how common the B visa is, getting one isn’t as easy as it might appear. Applicants must pay a fee, apply online, and then attend an in-person interview, where they’ll be grilled on what their plans are, where they’ll be going, and—crucially—when they plan to leave the US. Processing time from there can take as much as two months.

Even then, many people find their applications rejected. In fiscal year 2018—which ran from October 1, 2017 through September 30, 2018—B visa applicants from around 50 countries were more likely to have their application refused than accepted. For citizens of Somalia, the refusal rate was more than 90%, with only 38 Somalis granted a B visa (pdf).

The table below shows the refusal rates for each country with at least 10 visas issued in fiscal year 2018, according to data from the US Department of State (pdf). The overall refusal rate, including countries with 10 or fewer visas issued, was 32.4%.

[Riaz Haq]

Number of Pakistani students studying in US increased by 5.6 percent during 2018-19.
Pakistan sent 7,957 students to USA in 2018-19, as compared to 7,537 students sent last year.

https://www.brecorder.com/2019/11/20/546027/pakistan-among-fastest-...

The numbers showed a slight increase in total international enrollment, 0.05% from the previous year, but a decrease in new international student enrollment, -0.9%.

Decreases were seen in undergraduate (-2.4%), graduate (-1.3%) and non-degree (-5.0%) trends, as well.

China sent the most students -- 369,548 -- comprising 33.7 percent of all foreign students, a 1.7 percent increase from the previous year.

India sent the second-largest number -- 202,014 -- or 18.4% of all college and university students, a 2.9% increase from the previous year.

But several other countries, in descending order of number of students sent to the U.S., showed declines: South Korea (-4.2%), Saudi Arabia (-16.5%), Canada (0.8%), Vietnam (0.3%), Taiwan (4.1%), Japan (-3.5%), Brazil (9.8%), Mexico (-1.5%), Nigeria (5.8%), Nepal (-0.3%), Iran (-5.0%), the United Kingdom (-2.7%), Turkey (-3.4%), Kuwait (-9.8%), Germany (-8.5%), France (-1.0%), Indonesia (-3.4%), Bangladesh (10%), Colombia (1.1%), Pakistan (5.6%), Venezuela (-7.3%), Malaysia (-6.8%) and Spain (-3.0%).

https://www.voanews.com/student-union/fewer-foreign-students-enroll...

[Riaz Haq]

US-Pakistan Agreement to Support 125 Pakistani PhD students | The Academia


https://academiamag.com/us-pakistan-agreement-to-support-125-pakist...

In a step toward expanding U.S.-Pakistan educational cooperation, the Higher Education Commission (HEC) and the United States Educational Foundation in Pakistan (USEFP) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to support 125 Pakistanis to pursue PhD studies in the United States, 25 per year for five years. The MoU extends an agreement that funded 125 Fulbright-HEC PhD scholarships between 2016 and 2020. Acting HEC Chairman Dr. Shaista Sohail and USEFP Executive Director Ms. Rita Akhtar signed the MoU on June 16, through which the Government of Pakistan will contribute USD 5 million per year to the Fulbright-HEC PhD Program.

Fulbright is the flagship scholarship program of the U.S. Department of State, operating in 165 countries. Since 2005, Pakistan has had the world’s largest Fulbright Program in terms of U.S. government financial contribution, with approximately 100 master’s and 25 PhD scholarships funded annually. The HEC-USEFP MoU funds an additional 25 PhDs per year, bringing the total to 50.

“This MoU provides funding for 125 exceptional Pakistanis to complete PhD programs at some of the best universities in the United States,” explained USEFP Executive Director Rita Akhtar. “It represents a spectacular contribution to the social and economic development of Pakistan as well as to mutual understanding and friendship between the two countries. Our Fulbright grantees return to Pakistan to apply new skills and knowledge in every field and sector of Pakistan’s economy.”

According to U.S. Embassy Chargé d’affaires Les Viguerie, “The U.S.-Pakistan education partnership is among the best in the world, and the United States values the Pakistani students who enrich American campuses across our country.”

The Fulbright Program is a fully funded, merit-based program that provides the opportunity to conduct research and implement skills and ideas. The participants hail from different regions of Pakistan and study at leading universities in the United States.

USEFP is a bi-national commission established in 1950 by the governments of the United States and Pakistan. Since its inception, more than 9,000 Pakistanis and over 935 Americans have participated in USEFP-managed exchange programs. Its mission is to promote mutual understanding between the people of Pakistan and the people of the United States through exchange programs.

[Riaz Haq]

The United States has been the country of choice for international students, hosting more than one million from around the world. Each year, the U.S. issues more than 300,000 new F-1 visas! China clearly dominates the field, receiving nearly 100K student visas each year. India is second on the list, followed by South Korea, Vietnam and Japan. All five countries for sending the largest number of foreign students to the U.S. are from Asia.

https://immigrationroad.com/visa/f1-student/f1-student-visa-statist...

Pakistan ranks 25th with 1,965 F1 visas and 185 F2 visas in Fiscal Year 2018 (Oct 1 to Sept 30)

1 China - mainland 98,904(F1) 2,549(F2)
2 India 42,694 2,550
3 Korea, South 20,959 2,529
4 Vietnam 16,061 248
5 Japan 14,413 670
6 Brazil 13,288 4,751
7 Saudi Arabia 12,502 4,595
8 China - Taiwan 8,474 296
9 Mexico 7,015 431
10 Germany 6,239 80
11 France 5,491 113
12 Nigeria 5,365 646
13 Colombia 4,609 349
14 Russia 4,350 265
15 Great Britain and Northern Ireland 4,325 87
16 Spain 4,071 87
17 Turkey 3,778 245
18 Italy 3,703 95
19 Thailand 2,722 24
20 Hong Kong S.A.R. 2,493 45
21 Switzerland 2,450 33
22 Indonesia 2,351 170
23 Australia 2,327 68
24 Kuwait 1,989 232
25 Pakistan 1,965 185
26 Sweden 1,932 19
27 Bangladesh 1,920 623
28 Nepal 1,829 283
29 Singapore 1,803 88
30 Chile 1,772 434
31 Malaysia 1,722 42
32 Venezuela 1,672 179
33 Netherlands 1,632 17
34 Peru 1,594 80
35 Argentina 1,538 109
36 Ghana 1,494 163
37 Norway 1,489 25
38 Ecuador 1,477 83
39 Iran 1,433 210
40 Ethiopia 1,328 73
41 Panama 1,310 5
42 Kenya 1,285 73
43 Denmark 1,285 13
44 Burma 1,241 34
45 Kazakhstan 1,178 265
46 Egypt 1,108 266
47 South Africa 1,062 61
48 Israel 1,014 114
49 Jamaica 999 47
50 Philippines 944 55

[Riaz Haq]

U.S. Universities Engage Thousands of Pakistani Students as Interest in U.S. Higher Education Rises

https://pk.usembassy.gov/u-s-universities-engage-thousands-of-pakis...

https://opendoorsdata.org/

Karachi – February 11, 2020: Amid rising Pakistani interest in U.S. higher education, representatives from 13 U.S. universities met thousands of Pakistani students during visits to schools, universities, and college fairs in Islamabad, Lahore, and Karachi as part of EducationUSA’s 16th South Asia Tour. Representatives of top universities from around the United States shared valuable information about their institutions’ academic programs, campus life, financial aid options, and application procedures.

As noted in the Institute of International Education’s 2019 Open Doors report, Pakistan is among the world’s fastest growing emerging market places of origin for students in the United States. The thousands of academic programs, world-class institutions, and unmatched flexibility of U.S. higher education make the United States the world’s premier destination for university students.

“Nearly 8,000 Pakistanis study at universities and colleges across the United States,” said Minister Counselor for Public Affairs Lisa Heller. “That is an increase of 5.6 percent over the previous year, and we want that number to continue to rise further. The U.S. government is very proud to support the South Asia Tour, which will help Pakistani students choose a U.S. university. “

“Each year, the United States Educational Foundation in Pakistan (USEFP) looks forward to hosting the South Asia Tour and introducing U.S. universities to Pakistan’s brilliant student body,” said Rita Akhtar, Executive Director of USEFP. “This year, for the first time, we are providing visiting representatives a chance to connect with Pakistani alumni and admitted students of their institutions. We’ve learned over the years that the personal connections forged during face-to-face conversations with representatives encourage more Pakistani students to enroll in U.S. colleges and universities.”

EducationUSA Pakistan is the only free and official source for higher education in the United States and a part of the U.S. Department of State’s network of more than 425 international student advising centers in more than 175 countries. Pakistan’s EducationUSA team is made up exclusively of U.S. graduates, allowing advisers to share firsthand experience with applicants. In Pakistan, EducationUSA is managed by USEFP, a bi-national commission established in 1950 by the Governments of Pakistan and the United States.

To learn more about EducationUSA’s free advising services, please visit: www.usefpakistan.org.

[Riaz Haq]

2020FACTSHEET:
PAKISTAN
22
InternationalStudentPlaceof OriginRanking,2019/20
$325,000,000
InternationalStudentEconomic Impact,2019*
159
U.S.StudyAbroad DestinationRanking,2018/19
*Source:EstimatecalculatedbyIEbasedoninformationfrom OpenDoorsandBureauofEconomicAnalysis,U.S.DepartmentofCommerce, www.bea.gov/international
INTERNATIONALSTUDENTTOTAL
2019/20 7,939
2018/19 7,957
2017/18 7,537
2016/17 7,015
2015/16 6,141
2014/15 5,354
2013/14 4,935
2012/13 4,772
2011/12 4,600
2010/11 5,045
U.S.STUDYABROADSTUDENTTOTAL

Year
International
2016/17 % Ch%andgifef Students

Ab.
-0.2 . 2018/19
Ab.
5.6 . 2017/18
Ab.
7.4 . 2016/17
Ab.
14.2 . 2015/16
Ab.
14.7 . 2014/15
Ab.
8.5 . 2013/14
Ab.
3.4 . 2012/13
Ab.
3.7 . 2011/12
Ab.
-8.8 . 2010/11
Ab.
-3.4 . 2009/10
7 40.0Abc 5 -16.7Abc 6 0.0Abc 6 -40.0Abc
10 66.7Abc
6 -45.5Abc
11 175.0Abc
4 -71.4Abc
14 40.0Abc
10 100.0Abc 5 -
2009/10 5,222 INTERNATIONALSTUDENTSBYACADEMICLEVEL
Ab.2008/09
1999/00-2019/20
-. e
Abc
Source:TheOpenDoorsReportonInternationalEducationalExchangeisacomprehensiveinformationresourceoninternationalstudentsinthe UnitedStatesandU.S.studentsstudyingabroad.ItissponsoredbytheU.S.DepartmentofStatewithfundingprovidedbytheU.S.Governmentand ispublishedbyIE.Formoreinformation,visitwww.opendoorsdata.org.
U.S.StudyAbroad
Year 2016/17 Calculation%3Change
9K
6K
3K
0K
StudentsfromPakistan intheU.S.
Undergraduate Graduate Non-degree OPT
3,505 3,296 41.5 -6.0 2,761 2,930 36.9 6.1 306 272 3.4 -11.1 1,385 1,441 18.2 4.0
U.S.StudentsStudying AbroadinPakistan
2010 2015 2020
2000 2005
Students
A c a d e m ic 2 20 01 187/ /1 198 2 0 1 8 /1 9 % o f
2018/19 2019/20 % Total % Chang
Level Countr.

[Riaz Haq]

International Student Applications To U.S. Colleges Are Rebounding. Is It A Biden Bounce?

https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaeltnietzel/2021/02/01/internation...

Although applications from China are down by 18% from last year, that loss is more than offset by large increases in applicants from several other countries; including India (+28%), Canada (+22%), Nigeria (+12%), Pakistan (+37%), the United Kingdom (+23%), and Brazil (+41%).

---------------------

American colleges and universities had become accustomed to annual increases in applications from international students throughout much of the past two decades, but that came to a halt with the beginning of the Trump administration and its embrace of several policies on travel, visas, and financial aid that were seen as harmful to the interests of foreign students. Consequently, there was great interest in the 2020 presidential election among college officials, in part because of the prospects that a win by Joe Biden would result in the reversal of several of those policies.

That anticipation was confirmed in the first week of the new administration, when President Biden signed executive orders that:

• ended the ban on travel to the U.S. from several majority-Muslim countries;
• revoked a Trump policy that cracked down on “sanctuary” communities;
• overturned Trump’s attempt to exclude undocumented immigrants from the census;
• reinstated DACA protections, a policy that Trump had tried to remove thereby leaving undocumented immigrants who arrived in the U.S. as children subject to deportation;
• stopped funding and construction of Trump’s wall on the southern border of the U.S.

Now U.S. colleges are examining the best ways to respond to the possibility of a better international student market for the next few years, particularly with the availability of effective Covid-19 vaccines. Although China will probably remain the source of the largest number of students coming to the U.S., its growth may have plateaued.

As a result, colleges will begin to diversify their outreach to students in other countries. New emerging markets are there. Africa may be a prime opportunity, along with South American countries, and India, which already ranks second to China as the home country of students traveling to America for college. Other good prospects in that neighborhood include Bangladesh, Nepal, and Pakistan.

[Riaz Haq]

U.S. Universities Look For International Student Enrollment To Recover This Fall

https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaeltnietzel/2021/06/11/us-universi...

Compared to 2019-20, the volume of international applicants has increased by about 9% this year according to data from the Common App, as of January 22. Most of the top “sending” countries are showing increases, with the notable exception of China, the leading source of international students. But that decrease has been more than offset by substantial increases from countries like India, Canada, Nigeria, Pakistan, the United Kingdom, and Brazil.

[Riaz Haq]

The United States and Pakistan Break Ground on U.S. Education Foundation of Pakistan Headquarters - U.S. Embassy & Consulates in Pakistan

https://pk.usembassy.gov/the-united-states-and-pakistan-break-groun...

Islamabad, February 16, 2022: Today marks a new milestone in the 75 years of the U.S.-Pakistani relationship with the groundbreaking of the first permanent headquarters for the U.S. Educational Foundation in Pakistan (USEFP).

U.S. Embassy Islamabad Chargé d’affaires Angela P. Aggeler noted: “Today’s ground-breaking is just the next step in the tremendous work of USEFP and each of you who are dedicated to bringing our people together through education, and eager to watch it continue for decades to come.”

In 1950, the United States and Pakistan officially formed a bilateral commission – now known as USEFP – to exchange Masters’ and PhD students. Today, USEFP manages a wide range of educational and professional exchange programs, including the largest Fulbright Program in the world, between Pakistan and the United States, and many thousands of alumni of those programs are leaders throughout the country.

Rita Akhtar, Executive Director of the USEFP, added that the Capital Development Authority’s land donation to this project and the participation of iconic architect Nayyar Ali Dada were further indications of how favorably Pakistan views the opportunities afforded by U.S. higher education.

The new headquarters will serve as a state-of-the-art facility for managing U.S. government-funded exchange programs, such as the Fulbright program, and for the Islamabad advising center of EducationUSA, the official U.S. government resource for all students interested in pursuing education opportunities in the Untied States

[Riaz Haq]

Foreign student enrollment at U.S. universities fell 15% amid COVID-19

Number of Pakistani students in US fell by 5.8% to 7,475 in 2020-21.

https://opendoorsdata.org/data/international-students/all-places-of...

https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2021/12/06/amid-pandemic-inte...


Fewer than 1 million foreign students enrolled for either online or in-person classes at U.S. universities in the 2020-21 school year, comprising 4.6% of total enrollment at American higher educational institutions. That not only marks a 15% year-over-year decrease from the 2019-20 school year, but also marks the first time since 2014-15 that fewer than a million international students have enrolled at U.S. institutions.

China remained the leading place of origin for international students, with 35% of all international students in the 2020-21 school year hailing from the country. The second most common place of origin was India (18%), followed by South Korea (4%) and Canada (3%). Some of these countries also experienced the largest year-over-year decreases in the number of students who enrolled at U.S. institutions. The largest such percentage decreases occurred in South Korea (-21%), China (-15%) and India (-13%).

The overall decrease in the number of foreign students in the U.S. in 2020-21 was driven by sizable reductions in first-time students coming from abroad – in many cases due to border closings, flight cancellations or other challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.