While most U.S. higher education institutions saw increases in the number of foreign student enrollments, colleges offering associate degrees saw a 2-percent decrease, continuing a gradual drop for the third straight year, according to an annual report from the Institute of International Education.
The 2012 Open Doors study shows that in the 2011-12 academic year, 87,997 international students enrolled in associate-degree colleges, down from 89,853 the previous year. The number has been declining since it reached a high of 95,785 in 2008-09, according to the IIE data.
Baccalaureate colleges saw a nearly 6-percent increase, to 30,334 international students, while colleges and universities offering master’s degrees saw a 3-percent increase, to 131,943. The bulk of international students enrolled at doctorate and research institutions, which saw 486,906 students—nearly an 8-percent increase.