Science graduate student enrollment is up

New enrollments in graduate science and engineering programs at US universities rose by 3.3% in 2007 compared to 2006—nearly twice the growth rate of 2005–06 and the highest increase since 2002, NSF reported .

Full-time enrollments of foreign students, defined as those holding temporary visas, surged to an all-time high and eclipsed the record set in 2001. It’s an indication that post-September 11 restrictions and red tape on student visas have eased.

First-time, full-time enrollments by temporary visa holders in graduate S&E programs grew 8.3% in 2007, the most recent data available, compared with an increase of 1.7% by US citizens and permanent residents that year.

The influx of foreign graduate students was especially pronounced for computer science and engineering, where enrollments grew 12% in 2007 from 2006, to 6275. That followed a 20% surge in new foreign enrollees to those programs that occurred from 2005 to 2006.

The number of US citizens and permanent residents enrolling in the computer fields, meanwhile, fell by 9%, to 3077. As recently as 2005, more than 3600 new US graduates had enrolled in those fields.

Foreign students enrolling in US graduate engineering programs also continue to outnumber new US students. But the number of new enrollments by US students in graduate physical sciences programs grew by 2.5%, slightly, and by 2.3% among visa holders, to 2641.

David Kramer

Related LinkS&E Graduate Enrollments Accelerate in 2007; Enrollments of Foreign Students Reach New High