New in 2024, NAFSA is proud to introduce a new series of blog posts, written by NAFSA Global Partners. These institutions represent a broad range of perspectives, develop innovative approaches that enrich the field, and bring a wealth of expertise to the international education community.
The International Trade Administration (ITA) works to create prosperity by strengthening the international competitiveness of U.S. industry, promoting trade and investment, and ensuring fair trade and compliance with trade laws and agreements. We accomplish this mission in part through the U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service (Commercial Service), which is ITA’s export promotion arm based in 106 U.S. locations and in U.S. embassies, consulates, and business centers in more than 80 markets around the world. The Commercial Service can help U.S. education providers get started in exporting and develop partnerships in new global markets.
Education Is a Valuable Export
Educational service exports are an important element of our trade relationships with countries worldwide. Access to leading education and training opportunities is foundational for the economic success of countries across the globe.
International education is the eighth largest services export for the United States in 2024, valued at around $42 billion annually. Educational service exports are generated when international students pay for tuition, housing, books, and other costs related to studying in the United States. Beyond revenue generation for the institution, the influx of international students supports job creation in various sectors and boosts the local economy as international students spend on accommodation, food, entertainment, and other living expenses.
Long-term, international alumni who return to their home countries often maintain professional and personal ties with the host country, which in many instances facilitate future trade, investment, and bilateral relations.
Diversify Your Campus with the Commercial Service
A more diverse international student body enhances cultural exchange, bringing valuable perspectives into the classroom to enrich the learning experience for all students. According to Institute of International Education Open Doors data, international students from China and India represented more than 53 percent of all international students at U.S. colleges and universities during the 2022–23 academic year. Identifying new markets for international student recruitment across geographic borders, levels of education, areas of study, and student identities, is the first step to broadening your student body.
As U.S. institutions increasingly seek to diversify their campuses, the Commercial Service can help U.S. educational institutions and organizations build an international student recruitment pipeline through various program offerings that are unique to the education sector.
Our commercial experts can provide counseling on market potential for programs and develop market research for the education industry. A detailed analysis of the education sector in 60 countries, covering trends, demand, best practices, and more can be found in the biannual Education and Training Services Resource Guide. The newly released Market Diversification Tool for International Education helps education service providers research and compare new markets for foreign student recruitment.
Educational institutions frequently leverage ITA customized business matchmaking services when traveling overseas, including prescheduled business-to-business (B2B) meetings with prospective partners through our signature Gold Key Service, Single School Promotions, and the virtual International Partner Search/Plus (for when international travel is not feasible). Our education experts curate programming in response to current trends in international student recruitment, including virtual education fairs, virtual connection programs, and education trade missions to foster partnership development with foreign education industry representatives. We also partner with various international education trade shows to bring foreign education industry representatives to these shows and conduct on-site B2B matchmaking. Programs and services like these are designed to help organizations like yours connect to business opportunities in markets around the world as quickly and efficiently as possible, so that you can focus on diversifying your campus.
To further strengthen U.S. international education and to promote the United States as a premier destination of study, the Commercial Service developed the USA: A Study Destination campaign and helped facilitate the creation of more than 35 U.S. educational state consortia across the United States with development, promotion, and strategic planning for international recruitment. The campaign also promotes and highlights these states as study destinations.
These initiatives and others align with the National Export Strategy’s objective to strengthen U.S. international education and assist the U.S. international education industry to compete globally, increasing trade and investment opportunities for institutions and study state consortia.
To find out more about how the Commercial Service can help U.S. higher education institutions achieve export success, please visit the Education Industry webpage on our website, or talk to your local trade specialist—there’s one near you!