A report showed that record numbers of foreign students are attending American colleges and universities, but uncovered some worrying trends.

More than 670,000 foreign students enrolled in American colleges and universities in 2008-09, an 8% increase from the previous year, according to the Institute of International Education's Open Doors 2009 report. Not only is this the largest percentage increase since 1980-81, it is the third consecutive year significant growth has occurred.

According to IIE president and CEO Allan E Goodman, "American higher education continues to be highly valued throughout the world. US campuses offer unparalleled opportunities for creativity, flexibility, and cultural exchange. Students from all over the world contribute substantially to their host campuses and to the US economy."

Among the findings, the report showed that seven of the top 10 leading countries for enrolments saw increases in the number of students travelling to the US to pursue studies. Of these, increases greater than 20% from the previous year were recorded for four countries: Vietnam (46.2%), Nepal (29.6%), Saudi Arabia (28.2%) and China (21.1%).

These gains were not matched by significant decreases, except from Japan which sent nearly 14% fewer students. India remained the country of origin for most students for the eighth consecutive year, with more than 103,000 students coming to the US in 2008-09. The next largest groups of students came from China, South Korea and Canada.

More foreign students went to California and New York than to any other state. At the University of Southern California (which traditionally has enrolled more foreign students than any other institution in the US), Chinese student numbers alone grew by a staggering 61% last year. The university's total foreign student cohort represented 22% of the entire student body.

Importantly, most of the data in the Open Doors 2009 report reflect growth at the undergraduate level: the impressive 11% rise in the number of undergraduates attending American universities was contrasted by a more conservative 2% growth in enrolments of foreign graduate students.

The report of a staggering 60% increase in the number of Chinese undergraduates at American institutions was not mirrored by the 14% increase in graduate students. Undoubtedly the combination of a paucity of available higher education facilities in countries such as China and a weaker American dollar (making an international education more affordable) continues to lure foreign students - but increasingly not at the graduate level.

This unevenness in numbers is particularly concerning considering foreign students comprise one-tenth of the entire graduate student sector at American institutions, while comprising only one-fiftieth of the undergraduate population.

Earlier this month, the Council of Graduate Schools' 2009 International Graduate Admissions Survey revealed that while first-time enrolments for domestic graduate students was up 6% from 2008-09, there was no growth in the numbers of first-time foreign students. It also reported decreases in graduate enrolments from two of the top four source countries, India and South Korea.

Increases, however, were reported for institutions with large, established graduate student bodies, such as the Fletcher School at Tufts University in Massachusetts which enrols more than 50% foreign students.

But a zero percent growth rate is cause for serious concern. Council President Debra W Stewart said: "The lack of growth in first-time international enrolment raises questions about the future of our nation's share of the student market."

To wit, there remains an ever-expanding demand in source countries such as China and India for postgraduate educational opportunities overseas. For this reason, Peggy Blumenthal, IIE Executive Vice-president, urged the importance of remaining competitive: "There's still more talent out there that can be accommodated [in the US system] ... it's not a fixed pie that we're all competing for pieces of."

Foreign students are estimated to inject $17.6 billion into the American economy each year.

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