Missouri’s college campuses are becoming substantially more international.
The Institute for International Education says eighteen percent more international students studied in Missouri during the 2009-2010 school year than the year before. That’s six times the national trend. More than 13,000 students enrolled. Missouri ranks 16th in the country in its ability to draw international students.
More than one-fourth of those students came from China. Fifteen percent came from India. South Korea, Saudi Arabia, and Taiwan round out the top five.
Department of Higher Education researcher Heather Mac Cleoud says foreign students generally concentrate in certain fields such as engineering and business although she says there have been more inquiries about programs in the arts.
The most popular institutions: University of Missouri-Columbia, Washington University, UMKC, Missouri State, and Missouri University of Science and Technology.
All of these students have a big economic impact in our college towns. The institute says they spent about 336-milikon dollars last year on tuition, housing, and other needs.
Heather MacCleoud talks about students 11;37 mp3
