Nationally, the number of U.S. students studying abroad for credit during the 2021-22 academic year rebounded to more than half of pre-pandemic levels, with 188,753 students studying abroad. The current total represents one percent of all U.S. students enrolled at institutions of higher education in the United States and less than 10 percent of U.S. college graduates. A 2014 survey found that almost 40% of companies surveyed missed international business opportunities because of a lack of internationally competent personnel. When 95% of consumers live outside of the United States, we cannot afford to ignore this essential aspect of higher education.
NAFSA has long advocated for policies such as the Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Program Act to expand the total number of U.S. students studying abroad, and increase the diversity of study abroad students to more closely match the undergraduate population, and encourage study in nontraditional locations.
U.S. Study Abroad Participation by State
See the U.S. study abroad participation for each state for Academic Year 2021-2022
Percent of U.S. Study Abroad Students by Race/Ethnicity
Although the diversity of study abroad participation has increased in recent years, minority students are still greatly underrepresented in study abroad.
| Race/Ethnicity | U.S. Postsecondary Enrollment | U.S. Students Abroad |
|---|---|---|
| African American or Black | 12.5% | 5.3% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 7.5% | 8.6% |
| Caucasian | 50.9% | 68.6% |
| Hispanic/Latino American | 19.6% | 11.9% |
| Multiracial | 4.1% | 4.8% |
| American Indian/Alaska Native | 0.6% | 0.4% |
Percent of U.S. Study Abroad Students by Host Region
An overwhelming majority of U.S. study abroad takes place in Europe with 44 percent of students studying in just five countries, Spain, Italy, the United Kingdom, France, and Ireland.
U.S. Students Abroad
| Host Region | 2017-2018 | 2018-2019 | 2019-2020 | 2020-2021 | 2021-2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Africa | 4.2% | 3.9% | 3.3% | 2.4% | 2.4% |
| Asia | 11.2% | 11.7% | 9.1% | 12.3% | 4.7% |
| Europe | 54.9% | 55.7% | 57.9% | 66.3% | 73.1% |
| Latin America | 14.9% | 13.8% | 13.4% | 11.0% | 10.3% |
| Middle East | 2.1% | 2.3% | 3.2% | 4.9% | 2.9% |
| North America | 0.5% | 0.6% | 0.5% | 0.2% | 0.4% |
| Oceania | 4.3% | 4.4% | 7.1% | 0.5% | 0.7% |
| Multiple Regions | 7.9% | 7.5% | 5.4% | 7.5% | 5.5% |
The information in the charts above is based on the most current data from the Institute of International Education's Open Doors Report and the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics.