Boston College continues to see a significant upward trend in international student enrollment, with an 11 percent increase over last year.
This year, there are 1,017 undergraduate and graduate students representing 91 countries currently enrolled in classes.
According to the annual statistics report issued by the Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS), the most-represented countries at BC this year are China (194 students), South Korea (125) and Canada (47). Among international undergraduates, the most popular majors are finance, economics and political science, while economics, management and chemistry are the most enrolled areas of study among graduate students.
Also experiencing a slight increase this year were the number of international faculty and scholars, dependents and students working in their fields of study after graduation. Boston College’s total international population is 1,429, a 73 percent increase from the international population at BC 25 years ago.
OISS Director Adrienne Nussbaum said this year’s data also shows that BC’s graduate programs have seen gains across the board. Most notably, the Carroll Graduate School of Management’s international enrollment grew by 44 percent.
“We are very proud of the diversity we’ve realized in a group of very bright and talented students,” said CSOM Director of Graduate Enrollment Shelley Burt.
Burt explained that over the past year, CGSOM increased its overall number of students in the finance and MBA programs while concurrently accepting applicants from a wider range of geographical locations – this year Guatemala, Chile, Greece, the United Arab Emirates and Morocco are represented in the graduate programs.
“From where we sit in shaping the classes, reflecting greater geographical and cultural diversity adds to classroom discussion and overall graduate experience,” said Burt.
Nussbaum said the increased international enrollment at BC follows a national trend. According to the national Council of Graduate Studies, offers of admissions from US graduate schools to prospective international students increased three percent from 2009 to 2010. Factors attributed to that bump include a weakened dollar and the Chinese government’s easing of limitations on study abroad opportunities for undergraduates, Nussbaum said. China has been the largest international representation at BC for the last several years, and registered a 23.6 percent increase this year.
“We continue to see large numbers of Chinese students applying for admission and will continue to see those numbers both at the undergraduate and especially graduate level,” said Nussbaum. “I don’t expect that to change anytime soon.”
To read the statistics report in its entirety, visit the OISS website.