Report: More U.S. students going abroad, and vice versa

The number of U.S. college students studying abroad – and the number of international students in the USA – are at all-time highs, show data released today.But those increases do not reflect the impact of the recent economic downturn. They're based on the latest data available, which date back two years. And while the report suggests that numbers of U.S. students abroad will grow more despite the recession, the outlook is mixed on whether international growth will continue, says the two-part report, Open Doors 2009, published by the non-profit Institute for International Education, which tracks international enrollments for the State Department.

Among findings:

•A record 262,416 U.S. students studied abroad in 2007-08, the latest data year available. That's up 8.5% over the previous year, and "it is likely that trends toward less expensive destinations and shorter stays will continue, reflecting the effects of the economy," the report says.

It also notes that student interest in study abroad has historically remained strong in bad economies, and that financial aid will remain available. The State Department, for example, expects to provide study abroad scholarships to more than 1,700 low-income students this academic year, more than double the 820 it awarded two years ago.

•A record 671,616 foreign students enrolled in U.S. colleges and universities in the 2008-09 academic year, the latest year data available. That's up 8% from the previous year, the largest percentage increase since 1980-81.

But a more recent survey of 700 U.S. institutions found a range of trends this fall. Half reported increases, 24% declines and 26% no significant changes in the number of foreign students on campus. They cited the economy and swine flu concerns.

The impact also varies by country, with surging numbers of students coming from China and other countries, says IIE president Allan Goodman.