Community Colleges and
International Educational Exchange
Student Mobility Data from Open Doors 2005 Report on International Educational Exchange
Community College Hey-Kyung Koh
Forum Institute of International
Education
Senior Program Officer,
58th Annual NAFSA Research & Evaluation
Editor, Open Doors Report on
Conference in International Educational
Montreal Exchange
May 25, 2006
International Student Enrollment Trends at
Associate’s Institutions, 1999/00 – 2004/05
% Change % Change
1999/00 2000/01 2001/02 2002/03 2003/04 2004/05 from 2003/04 1999-2005
TOTAL CENSUS 514,723 547,867 582,996 586,323 572,509 565,039 -1.3 9.8
Doctoral/Research 312,977 331,452 353,438 358,941 354,839 331,971 -6.4 6.1
Master's 84,754 91,822 97,129 95,620 93,687 97,359 3.9 14.9
Baccalaureate 22,892 22,820 24,436 25,147 25,376 26,724 5.3 16.7
Associate's 70,616 76,834 82,932 82,123 75,830 84,376 11.3 19.5
Specialized 23,484 24,939 25,061 24,492 22,777 24,609 8.0 4.8
* Based on the 2000 Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education codes. These are not entirely
comparable to the codes used in previous Open Doors , which were based on the 1994 Carnegie classifications.
Trends in International Student Totals by Carnegie Type
400,000
350,000
300,000
250,000
Students
200,000
150,000
100,000
50,000
0
1999/00 2000/01 2001/02 2002/03 2003/04 2004/05
Year
Doctoral/Research Master's Baccalaureate
Associate's Specialized
Community College Trends, 1999/00 – 2004/05
% Change % Change
1999/00 2000/01 2001/02 2002/03 2003/04 2004/05 from 2003/04 1999-2005
TOTAL CENSUS 514,723 547,867 582,996 586,323 572,509 565,039 -1.3 9.8
Doctoral/Research 312,977 331,452 353,438 358,941 354,839 331,971 -6.4 6.1
Master's 84,754 91,822 97,129 95,620 93,687 97,359 3.9 14.9
Baccalaureate 22,892 22,820 24,436 25,147 25,376 26,724 5.3 16.7
Associate's 70,616 76,834 82,932 82,123 75,830 84,376 11.3 19.5
Specialized 23,484 24,939 25,061 24,492 22,777 24,609 8.0 4.8
* Based on the 2000 Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education codes. These are not entirely
comparable to the codes used in previous Open Doors , which were based on the 1994 Carnegie classifications.
INTERNATIONAL STUDENT TRENDS
at Associate's Institutions, 1999/00 - 2004/05
90,000
85,000
Students
80,000
75,000
70,000
65,000
60,000
1999/00 2000/01 2001/02 2002/03 2003/04 2004/05
Year
Top 20 Places of Origin
% of All % of CC
Rank Place of Origin Int'l Students Rank Place of Origin Int'l Students
1 India 14.2 1 Japan 15.0
2 China 11.1 2 Korea, Republic of 9.5
3 Korea, Republic of 9.4 3 Mexico 4.3
4 Japan 7.5 4 Taiwan 3.4
5 Canada 5.0 47% 5 India 3.3 36%
6 Taiwan 4.6 6 China 3.1
7 Mexico 2.3 7 Colombia 3.0
8 Turkey 2.2 8 Hong Kong 2.6
9 Germany 1.5 9 Canada 2.4
10 Thailand 1.5 10 Kenya 2.4
11 United Kingdom 1.5 11 Indonesia 2.1
12 Indonesia 1.4 12 Brazil 2.0
13 Colombia 1.3 13 Venezuela 1.8
14 Brazil 1.3 14 Vietnam 1.7
15 Hong Kong 1.3 15 Philippines 1.7
16 Kenya 1.2 16 Jamaica 1.6
17 France 1.2 17 Peru 1.5
18 Nigeria 1.1 18 Nepal 1.5
19 Pakistan 1.1 19 Pakistan 1.5
20 Malaysia 1.1 20 Nigeria 1.3
TOTAL (All) 565,039 TOTAL (All CC) 84,376
Total (top 20 only) 405,240 72% Total (top 20 only) 51,837 61%
Leading Places of Origin of International Students at ALL INSTITUTIONS, 2004/05
90,000
80,000
70,000
60,000
Percent
Leading 20 50,000
40,000
Places of 30,000
Origin of 20,000
10,000
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International student enrollments varied by type of
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The overall decline in international students were experienced
in different ways by different categories of institutions and for
different types of students.
0.25
0.2
0.15
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-0.05 Doctoral Masters Baccalaureate Associates All Specialized
-0.1
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Undergraduate Graduate
Leading Associate’s Institutions
Hosting International Students, 2004/05
Total Int'l Total
Institution City State Students Enrollment
Houston Community College Houston TX 3,702 37,846
Santa Monica College Santa Monica CA 2,557 25,495
Montgomery College Rockville MD 2,100 22,254
De Anza College Cupertino CA 2,083 23,277
CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College New York NY 1,660 18,854
Miami-Dade Community College Miami FL 1,490 58,490
North Harris Montgomery Community College District The Woodlands TX 1,414 35,479
City College of San Francisco San Francisco CA 1,322 37,166
Nassau Community College Garden City NY 1,235 20,984
Foothill College Los Altos Hills CA 1,209 16,256
Seminole Community College Sanford FL 1,132 17,495
CUNY Queensborough Community College Bayside NY 1,117 12,470
Pasadena City College Pasadena CA 977 25,564
Richland College Dallas TX 892 14,100
Phoenix College Phoenix AZ 858 12,440
North Lake College Irving TX 834 8,664
Collin County Community College District Plano TX 804 17,702
El Camino College Torrance CA 800 25,000
CUNY La Guardia Community College Long Island City NY 796 12,768
Austin Community College Austin TX 792 35,662
Primary Sources of Funding
International Students at Associate’s Institutions, 2004/05
PRIMARY SOURCES OF FUNDS of International Students
at Associate's Institutions, 2004/05
U.S. Private
Doctoral/ Sponsor Foreign Private
International
3% Sponsor
Undergraduate Research Master's Baccalaureate Organization
Home 1%
Source Ext. & Int. I & II All Associate's Gov't/University
0%
Other Source
1%
Personal & Family 76.3 81.4 58.4 91.9 0%
U.S. Government
U.S. College or University 9.5 10.3 33.7 1.2 0%
Home Gov't/University 3.9 3.0 1.4 1.1
U.S. College or
U.S. Government 0.5 0.7 0.3 0.3
University
U.S. Private Sponsor 7.9 2.3 4.5 3.4 1%
Foreign Private Sponsor 1.1 1.8 1.1 1.3
International Organization 0.3 0.1 0.3 0.2
Current Employment 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.6
Other Source 0.4 0.2 0.0 0.0
Note: "Unknown" responses were eliminated from this analysis. Personal & Family
93%
Personal & Family U.S. College or University Home Gov't/University
U.S. Government U.S. Private Sponsor Foreign Private Sponsor
International Organization Current Employment Other Source
Fields of Study
International Students at Associate’s Institutions, 2004/05
Fields of Study of International Students at Associate's Institutions, 2004/05
All Institutions Associate's Institutions FIELD OF STUDY FOCUS
Field of Study % of Total Field of Study % of Total
All Institutions:
Business & Management 17.7 Other 28.7
Engineering 16.5 Business & Management 19.5 •Business & Management
Other 10.6 Undeclared 16.4 •“Hard” sciences
Mathematics & Computer Science 9.0 Health Professions 8.7
Physical & Life Sciences 8.8 Mathematics & Computer Science 6.5
Community Colleges:
Social Sciences 8.2 Engineering 5.2 • “Other” (Liberal Arts, Multi-disciplinary,
Optional Practical Training 5.0 Fine & Applied Arts 4.8 Communications, etc.)
Fine & Applied Arts 5.0 Social Sciences 3.3
Undeclared 5.1 Physical & Life Sciences 3.1
Health Professions 4.7 Education 1.7 FIELDS OF STUDY
Intensive English Language 2.6 Humanities 1.5
International Students at Associate's Institutions, 2004/05
Humanities 2.8 Agriculture 0.4
Education 2.8 Intensive English* 0.0 Physical & Life
Agriculture 1.3 Sciences
TOTAL (All Int'l Students) 565,039 TOTAL (CC Int'l Students) 75,830 Social Sciences 3%
3%
All Others
* Less than 0.1% enrollment Fine & Applied Arts 4%
5%
Other
Engineering 28%
5%
NOTE:
Other includes: Mathematics &
Comp. Sci.
Liberal Arts & Sciences, General Studies & Humanities 7%
Communication, Journalism, & Related Programs
Legal Professions & Studies Health Professions
9%
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
Family & Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences Business &
Communications Technologies/Technicians & Support Services Undeclared Management
Library & Archival Sciences 16% 20%
Vocational Home Economics
Military Technologies
Community College Fast Facts: International Students
•84,376 international students were studying at Associate’s Institutions
in 2004/05.
•After a steep decline of 9% from the previous year, UG int’l student
enrollment at CCs increased 18% in 2004/05.
•Associate’s Institutions had the largest percentage increase in int’l
student enrollments from 1999/00 to 2004/05 of all the institutional
types.
• Community Colleges hosted three times as many international
students as Baccalaureate Institutions, and served almost as many as
did Master’s Institutions.
•Leading 20 Community Colleges are concentrated in only 6 states
and each hosted nearly 800+ int’l students.
•Just over 60% of all int’l students at Community Colleges were from
the top 20 places of origin.
• Approximately nine out of ten international students attending
Community Colleges were self-funded.
Host Regions
Study Abroad Students at Associate’s Institutions, 2003/04
HOST REGIONS of Study Abroad Students
at ALL Institutions, 2003/04 Host Regions of U.S. Study Abroad Students:
Multiple Regions
6% Associate's Institutions & All Study Abroad Institutions
North America * Oceania Africa
1% 7% 2003/04
3%
Asia
Middle East 7%
1% % of All U.S. % of CC
Latin America Host Region Study Abroad Study Abroad
15%
Africa 3.0 0.3
Europe Asia 6.9 4.6
60%
Europe 60.9 61.0
Latin America 15.2 24.3
Middle East 0.5 1.3
HOST REGIONS of Study Abroad Students North America * 0.6 0.7
at ASSOCIATE'S Institutions, 2003/04
Oceania Multiple Regions Africa
Oceania 7.4 2.3
0%
2% 6% Multiple Regions 5.5 5.5
North America * Asia
1% 5%
Middle East TOTAL 191,321 5,776
1%
Latin America
24%
* Includes Antarctica from 2002/03 onw ard
Europe
61%
Host Destinations
Study Abroad Students at Associate’s Institutions, 2003/04
Associate's Institutions and All U.S. Study Abroad Institutions, 2003/04
All U.S. Study Abroad Associate's Institutions Study Abroad
HOST DESTINATIONS of Study Abroad Students
Destination Students Percent Destination Students Percent at Associate's Institutions, 2003/04
United Kingdom 32,237 16.8 Italy 849 14.7 Australia
Italy 21,922 11.5 United Kingdom 815 14.1 Canada
Spain 20,058 10.5 Mexico 747 12.9 Germany
Israel
France 13,718 7.2 Spain 696 12.0
Czech
Australia 11,418 6.0 France 555 9.6 Guatemala
Multi-destination* 10,611 5.5 Multi-destination* 316 5.5 French
Mexico 9,293 4.9 Cuba 245 4.2 Greece
Destination
Germany 5,985 3.1 Costa Rica 225 3.9 China
Ireland 5,198 2.7 Austria 172 3.0 Japan
China 4,737 2.5 Ireland 156 2.7 Ireland
Austria
Costa Rica 4,510 2.4 Japan 153 2.7
Costa Rica
Japan 3,707 1.9 China 96 1.7
Cuba
Austria 2,444 1.3 Greece 87 1.5 Multi-
New Zealand 2,369 1.2 French Polynesia 85 1.5 France
Cuba 2,148 1.1 Guatemala 77 1.3 Spain
Chile 2,135 1.1 Czech Republic 73 1.3 Mexico
Greece 2,099 1.1 Israel 67 1.2 United
Czech Republic 2,089 1.1 Germany 54 0.9 Italy
South Africa 2,009 1.1 Canada 43 0.8 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900
Russia 1,797 0.9 Australia 39 0.7
Students
TOTAL 191,321 TOTAL 5,776
* Multi-destination refers to a student w ho studied abroad in more than one destination
w ithin a single study abroad program/experience.
Leading Associate’s Institutions
Sending Students Abroad, 2003/04
Study Abroad
Institution City State Students
College of DuPage Glen Ellyn IL 279
Citrus College Glendora CA 177
Contra Costa Community College District Martinez CA 175
Riverside Community College Riverside CA 165
Pasadena City College Pasadena CA 163
Santa Monica College Santa Monica CA 157
Santa Barbara City College Santa Barbara CA 155
City College of San Francisco San Francisco CA 154
Coast Community College District Costa Mesa CA 154
North Orange County Community College District Anaheim CA 152
Santa Rosa Junior College Santa Rosa CA 124
Glendale Community College Glendale CA 120
Mesa Community College Mesa AZ 117
San Diego City College San Diego CA 106
Yosemite Community College District Modesto CA 91
El Camino College Torrance CA 80
Brookdale Community College Lincroft NJ 79
Nassau Community College Garden City NY 74
Duration of Study
Study Abroad Students at Associate’s Institutions, 2003/04
Comparison of Duration of Study Abroad:
DURATION OF STUDY ABROAD
Associate's Institutions and Other Institutional Types, 2003/04
Associate's Institutions, 2003/04
2003/04
Long-Term
Carnegie Long- Mid- Short- Study Abroad
Category Term1 Term2 Term3 Students
0%
Mid-Term
27%
Doctoral/Research 6.4 41.9 51.7 114,218
Master's 5.0 36.9 58.1 39,122
Baccalaureate 7.6 52.1 40.3 30,647
Associate's 0.2 27.0 72.8 5,776
Specialized 8.0 26.9 65.1 1,558
ALL 6.2 42.1 51.7 191,321
1 Academic or Calendar Year Short-Term
2 One, Tw o Quarters or One Semester 73%
3 Summer, January Term, or Few er Than 8 Weeks
Profile of Study Abroad Students: Field of Study
Associate’s Institutions, 2003/04
Comparison of the Characteristics of Study
Associate's Institutions & All Study Abroad
MAJOR FIELD OF STUDY
All Associate's
Study Abroad Students at Associate's Institutions, 2003/04
Field of Study Institutions Institutions
Math or Comp. Sci.
Undeclared 3.4 27.1 Engineering
Business & 17.5 14.9 Agriculture
Humanities 13.3 14.5 Health Sciences
Field of Study
Other 7.8 14.2 Physical Sciences
Fine or Applied Arts 7.6 9.1 Foreign Languages
Social Science
Education 4.1 5.0
Education
Social Science 22.6 3.9 Fine or Applied Arts
Foreign Languages 7.5 3.8 Other
Physical Sciences 7.1 2.3 Humanities
Health Sciences 3.4 2.2 Business & Mgmt
Agriculture 1.2 2.0 Undeclared
Engineering 2.9 1.1 0 5 10 15 20 25 30
Math or Comp. Sci. 1.7 0.0
Percent
TOTAL 191,321 5,776
Profile of Study Abroad Students: Sex
Associate’s Institutions, 2003/04
SEX of Study Abroad Students SEX of Study Abroad Students
at All Institutions, 2003/04 at Associate's Institutions, 2003/04
Male
Male
32%
34%
Female
Female
66%
68%
Comparison of Sex of Study Abroad Students
Associate's Institutions and All Study Abroad
All Associate's
Sex Institutions Institutions
Female 65.6 68.0
Male 34.4 32.0
TOTAL 191,321 5,776
Profile of Study Abroad Students: Ethnicity/Race
Associate’s Institutions, 2003/04
ETHNICITY/RACE of Study Abroad Students ETHNICITY/RACE of Study Abroad Students
at All Institutions, 2003/04 at Associate's Institutions, 2003/04
African- Multiracial Multiracial
1% Native American African-American
American 0% Native American
Hispanic- 0% 4%
Hispanic-
3%
American American 0%
5% 10%
Asian-American
Asian-American
6%
4%
Caucasian
85% Caucasian
82%
Comparison of the Characteristics of Study
Associate's Institutions and All Study Abroad
All Associate's
Race/Ethnicity Institutions Institutions
Caucasian 83.7 81.4
Hispanic-American 5.0 10.2
Asian-American 6.1 4.1
African-American 3.4 3.7
Multiracial 1.3 0.4
Native American 0.5 0.2
TOTAL 191,321 5,776
Community College Fast Facts: Study Abroad
•5,776 Community College studied abroad in 2003/04
•Community College study abroad generally mirrors study abroad at all
institutions.
•Destinations: larger proportion of CC study abroad is to Latin America
than overall study abroad.
•Duration of Study: overwhelming majority of CC study abroad is on
short-term programs.
•Sex of Students: slightly more females from CCs study abroad than
overall.
•Race/Ethnicity: slightly fewer Caucasian students from CCs study
abroad than overall. Hispanic-Americans make up the 2nd largest
group at CCs.
•Colleges/States: California CCs predominate among the leading 20
CC study abroad institutions.
FACT
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