Feature

Why Study in the United States?

Strengths that make the United States the top destination for international students.
Sather Tower, on the campus of the University of California-Berkeley, off ers a view of the Golden Gate Bridge. California is one of the top states for international students who choose to study in the United States. Photo: Shutterstock
 
Charlotte West

As a 16-year-old from Hong Kong, Long Hui began his U.S. education as a student in the high school completion program at Edmonds Community College in Washington State. Studying in the United States at such a young age was a formative experience for him, opening the door to various opportunities in-country and back home.

“In the United States, you are really encouraged to be who you are. You’re encouraged to become who you want to be,” Hui says.

He was able to earn a high school diploma and an associate’s degree before eventually transferring to the University of California-Berkeley. He graduated in 2015 with a bachelor’s degree in applied mathematics, which he has been able to leverage to pursue an international career in Shanghai, China. He currently works as an application engineer at Intron, an automotive parts distributor.

Hui is one of the millions of international students who have pursued their education in the United States, which continues to be the world’s most popular destination for international students and scholars. In 2017–18, nearly 1.1 million international students studied at U.S. institutions, according to the Institute of International Education (IIE).

While students have their own specific reasons for why they chose to study in the United States, common pull factors emerge: a high-quality education at top universities; diversity in institution size and type; connections between majors and career opportunities; a meeting place for global talents; and access to cutting-edge, hands-on research. Underscoring all of these factors is the United States’s history and

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