The New York Times runs this article about the economic impact of foreign students on the US. Foreign student enrollment in American universities and colleges dropped precipitously after 9/11, because visas became more difficult to acquire and because students from certain regions feared they would be less than welcomed. The article notes that Saudi enrollment has doubled over the past couple of years. This is due both to improvements in the visa process and the active desire by King Abdullah to get more students into American schools.

Study: Foreign Students Added to Economy
TAMAR LEWIN

While foreign students at American colleges and universities are most often singled out for their scientific and cultural contributions, their growing numbers help make them an increasingly important economic force as well, according to a new report from the Institute of International Education.

In the 2006-7 school year, the report found, international students’ net contribution to the United States economy was nearly $14.5 billion — up a billion dollars from the previous year, the largest annual increase to date.

“These are foreign people buying an American product, and the Department of Commerce says international education is our fifth-largest service export, bigger than medical services,” said Allan E. Goodman, president of the institute, a nonprofit organization that promotes international study. “It’s a huge factor in a lot of cities, including New York, where international students contribute about $1.5 billion, more than the Yankees, the Mets, the Rangers, the Knicks and the Giants combined.”

…For several years, India and China have sent the most students here, together accounting for more than a quarter of last year’s international students. Most experts expect the numbers to continue to grow. “Next to water, the biggest shortage in the world today is probably higher education,” said Dr. Goodman, adding that only the United States could absorb the demand.

Saudi Arabia sent more than twice as many students here in 2006-7 as it did the previous year; the number of Japanese students declined 9 percent.

The University of Southern California and Columbia University had the most foreign students last year, with New York University in third place.

Graduate students are half the international enrollment, but in the last six years, community college students have generally been the fastest-growing segment.