U.S. State Department releases Open Doors® Report
News
Funded by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, Open Doors® annually presents a comprehensive report on the mobility of students in U.S. higher education, both inbound and outbound. In the academic year 2022-23, U.S. institutions hosted 1,057,188 international students, reflecting a noteworthy 12% increase from the previous year. Additionally, 188,753 U.S. students studied abroad during the academic year 2021-22.
Within this context, James Madison University saw a total of 269 international students in the academic year 2022-23, constituting 1.1% of the JMU student population. These international students contributed a substantial $12.1 million to the Commonwealth economy and supported 128 jobs. A particularly significant surge was observed in the number of international graduate students, with 97 now accounting for 5.5% of JMU's graduate student body — an increase of 12% from the previous year and an impressive 47% rise from the pre-pandemic year.
JMU boasts a diverse representation of international students from 97 different countries. Among undergraduate international students, the top five majors are Accounting, Computer Information Systems, Economics, Finance, and International Business. Meanwhile, the leading programs for graduate international students include Business Administration (MBA), Communications & Advocacy (MA), Musical Arts (DMA), Public Administration (MPA), and Strategic Leadership (PhD).
In the academic year 2021-22, JMU experienced a remarkable 667% increase in the total number of students participating in study abroad programs, reaching a total of 950 students — solidifying JMU's position among the top three institutions in the Commonwealth for sending students abroad. Italy, the United Kingdom, Spain, Belgium, and Costa Rica emerged as the top five destinations for JMU students, with majors such as Media Arts and Design, General Psychology, Health Sciences, Education, and Nursing dominating the study abroad landscape.
