Together we can make a difference in bringing international students to the U.S., one of the most desirable countries to study abroad in the world. From high quality academics recognized globally to the thousands of international students with world-changing success stories, the reasons are clear.
The International Trade Administration’s USA: A Study Destination Program supports our campaign to make a difference in bringing international students to the U.S. Join in on social media using the hashtag #WhyUS.
High Quality
Employers will recognize your U.S. degree as a highly prestigious achievement. Many U.S. universities are included in the most prestigious universities in the world. According to Webometrics, the U.S. has 58 of the 100 top world universities. American universities and colleges overall have a high reputation reinforced by their high academic standards and accreditation system. U.S. universities also are known for the high quality of their faculty and facilities.
Flexibility and Choice
Over 4,000 universities and colleges of different types enable you to find the perfect fit. Choose public or private, 2-year community college or 4-year university/college, or rural or urban. According to the American Council on Education, the “collective diversity” of the more than 4,000 accredited universities and colleges in the U.S. is “one of the greatest strengths of the U.S. higher education system.”
Adding to that flexibility, you can explore courses and fields before declaring a major at the end of your second year. Even once you declare a major you can continue exploring by taking electives. For both majors and electives, U.S. universities are known for their academic breadth, which provides lots of choices.
Professional Opportunity
Job-related experience can lead you to a successful career in the U.S. or elsewhere. You can gain such experience through internships, curricular practical training (CPT) and on-campus jobs during your studies, and optional practical training (OPT) after.
In 2019, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services approved 223,284 requests for all types of OPT—the highest number ever. Certain F-1 students who receive science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) degrees may apply for a 24-month extension of their post-completion optional practical training (OPT).
Global Diversity
Studying in the U.S. exposes you to many different cultures and enables you to share your own culture. What you get is not only an American education, but an international one. Your enhanced global perspective can help you facilitate business, scientific, diplomatic and cultural exchanges that will make a better world for all.
You can return to your home country with a network of international friends and a cultural understanding of the U.S. and of cultures worldwide.
Diverse Locations
From sea to shining sea, the diverse beauty of the U.S. is vast. Choose the location you prefer—urban, suburban or rural—and take in U.S. natural, historic and cultural attractions from beaches to mountains to cities filled with museums, delicious food, all types of sports and cultural communities.
Intellectual Foundation
You can gain basic skills and an intellectual framework you can apply in more advanced studies and throughout your life. Through General Education, liberal arts and interdisciplinary classes and your ability to explore majors, your U.S university education extends beyond professional courses to help you become a well-rounded person. Also, the U.S. discussion-based teaching style reinforces the development of independent thought and critical thinking.
Exceptional Support
U.S. universities offer a high level of support to help you adjust to life in a new country and succeed. Such support includes orientations, academic advising, English language support, academic tutoring, special workshops, leadership training, mentoring, counseling and more.
Leadership Development
The U.S. emphasizes individualism and leadership development. Whether you stay in the U.S. or return to your home country after college, studying here enables you to explore and grow as a leader. You can apply this understanding to the benefit of your own country or to wherever you decide to live and work in today’s globalized world.
Success
The high number of Nobel Prize winners who are immigrants is a sign of immigrant success in the U.S. In science alone, since 2000, immigrants have won nearly 40% of the Nobel Prizes received by the U.S. in chemistry, medicine and physics. In 2019, two of the three Nobel Prize in Economics were won by MIT professors who are immigrants: Abhijit Banerjee, born in India, and Esther Duflo, born in France. Both came to the U.S. as international students. Overall, counting immigrants as well as non-immigrants, the U.S. has won more Nobel prizes than any other country, including over 300 winners of the approximately 900 awards given to date.
The U.S. has long been home to many famous immigrants, in a variety of fields, who also can point the way to your own success. According to The New York Times, famous or not, more than 5.3 million students or almost 30% of all U.S. college students are from immigrant families. Look at some of these success stories–German-born theoretical physicist Albert Einstein, Big Bang Theory actor Kunal Nayyar (India), and House of Spirits author Isabel Allende (Peru).
The U.S. is also known for innovation and immigrants are driving much of that innovation. The impact of immigrants to the U.S. in COVID-19 research cannot be ignored. Consider Noubar Afeyan, co-founder of Moderna, COVID-19 vaccine researcher Katalin Karikó (Hungary), and Zoom founder Eric Yuan (China).
Follow in the footsteps of many world leaders. A sampling of leaders who studied in the U.S. include Prime Minister of Singapore, Lee Hsien Loong, former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright; and Theo-Ben Gurirab, former United Nations General Assembly Speaker.
