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It is a well known fact that as compared to local Americans, international students tend to complete their doctoral degrees and research masters faster. However, the current focus is on the increasing enrolments at these research institutions and universities.

A research was conducted by the Council of Graduate Schools in September 2008. It was found that apart from ethnicity and gender differentials in domestic students, international students completed their PhD projects much quicker than the domestic students.

As compared to 54% of domestic students, 67% foreign students ensured they completed their doctorates on time, in fact between three and ten years since they commence the project. Even if they go with the program chosen, international students completed their PhDs more than the Americans.

At least forty percent of post graduate programs in physical science and forty eight percent in engineering and science post graduate programs were filled with international students according to a 2008 CGS report. There was also a drastic decrease in the number of domestic students who earned their graduate degrees.

Recently, in fact over the past decade, you can see the emergence of a complicated pattern – there is a plateau in the foreign student numbers entering programs at the post graduate level.

According to a survey by CGS, there was a decrease in postgraduate enrolments from the top two countries namely India and South Korea in the year 2008-09 though there was a significant increase in enrolments from Middle Eastern-Turkish and Chinese students.

There may be various reasons for this including extenuating circumstances and new challenges. One of the main reasons could be a stiff competition from other countries that are research-intensive for postgraduate students. Other reasons could be the escalating fees and tighter visa regulations for non-immigrant international students after the 9/11 fallout.

It is very important for US to focus on maintaining the enrolment of International post graduate students in order to sustain amidst global competition.  The response to this situation by the higher education community clearly indicates its acceptance of the important and strategic role played by international post graduate students in keeping our country at the forefront of global education.

In a speech addressed to the judiciary House of Representatives in the year 2005, National Academy of Engineering President, Dr. William. A. Wulf stressed on the need for enhanced national security to ensure retaining high calibre post graduate students from other countries. This sentiment was further reiterated to the Open Doors 2009 report to the Institute of International Education by the American Association of State Colleges and Universities President Muriel A Howard.

According to her, international students play a major role in contributing towards greater campus diversity and foster good will. She said, foreign students also provide the right amount of challenge to American students motivating them and providing them with a global perspective.

A positive move towards this goal is evident with President Obama’s Recovery Act 2009 and 2011 budget proposal. This may be a first small step, but a definite move in the right direction towards convincing and persuading international post graduate students.