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Today, more and more U.S. colleges today receive applications from high schoolers overseas. International students have become a huge part of the learning experience on campus, contributing to school diversity with their knowledge, ideas, and cultures. The following list includes national universities and liberal arts colleges with the highest percentages of international students as of 2018.
| National Universities | ||
| School Name | Location | % International |
| Florida Institute of Technology | Melbourne, FL | 32% |
| The New School | New York, NY | 32% |
| University of Rochester | Rochester, NY | 24% |
| Boston University | Boston, MA | 22% |
| Carnegie Mellon University | Pittsburgh, PA | 22% |
| Suffolk University | Boston, MA | 22% |
| Brandeis University | Waltham, Ma | 21% |
| Illinois Institute of Technology | Chicago, IL | 21% |
| University of California—San Diego | La Jolla, CA | 20% |
| New York University | New York, NY | 19% |
| Northeastern University | Boston, MA | 19% |
| University of Tulsa | Tulsa, OK | 19% |
| Andrews University | Berrien Springs, MI | 19% |
| University of California—Irvine | Irvine, CA | 17% |
| University of San Francisco | San Francisco, CA | 17% |
| Emory University | Atlanta, GA | 16% |
| Purdue University | West Lafayette, IN | 16% |
| University of Buffalo—SUNY | Buffalo, NY | 16% |
| University of California—Davis | Davis, CA | 16% |
| University of Illinois—Urbana-Champagne | Champagne, IL | 16% |
| University of Miami | Coral Gables, FL | 15% |
| University of Washington | Seattle, WA | 15% |
| Clark University | Worcester, MA | 14% |
| Miami University—Oxford | Oxford, OH | 14% |
| Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | Troy, NY | 14% |
| Stony Brook University—SUNY | Stony Brook, NY | 14% |
| Cardinal Stritch University | Milwaukee, WI | 13% |
| Case Western Reserve University | Cleveland, OH | 13% |
| Georgetown University | Washington, DC | 13% |
| Syracuse University | Syracuse, NY | 13% |
| University of Chicago | Chicago, IL | 12% |
| University of Pennsylvania | Philadelphia, PA | 12% |
| University of Southern California | Los Angeles, CA | 12% |
| Sources: US News |
| Liberal Arts Colleges | ||
| School Name | Location | % International |
| Soka University of America | Aliso Viejo, CA | 43% |
| Mount Holyoke College | South Hadley, MA | 27% |
| St. John’s College | Santa Fe, NM | 26% |
| Bryn Mawr College | Bryn Mawr, PA | 23% |
| College of the Atlantic | Bar Harbor, ME | 22% |
| Earlham College | Richmond, IN | 22% |
| St. John’s College | Annapolis, MD | 22% |
| Grinnell College | Grinnell, IA | 20% |
| Principia College | Elsah, IL | 18% |
| Bennington College | Bennington, VT | 17% |
| Claremont McKenna College | Claremont, CA | 17% |
| Knox College | Galesburg, IL | 17% |
| Franklin and Marshall College | Lancaster, PA | 16% |
| Bard College at Simon’s Rock | Great Barrington, MA | 15% |
| Beloit College | Beloit, WI | 15% |
| Macalester College | St. Paul, MN | 15% |
| Wesleyan College | Macon, GA | 15% |
| Smith College | Northampton, MA | 14% |
| College of Wooster | Wooster, OH | 13% |
| Dickinson College | Carlisle, PA | 13% |
| Sarah Lawrence College | Bronxville, NY | 13% |
| Swarthmore College | Swarthmore, PA | 13% |
| Wellesley College | Wellesley, MA | 13% |
| Lawrence University | Appleton, WI | 12% |
| Trinity College | Hartford, CT | 12% |
| Wesleyan University | Middletown, CT | 12% |
| Pomona College | Claremont, CA | 11% |
| Skidmore College | Saratoga Springs, NY | 11% |
| University of Minnesota–Morris | Morris, MN | 11% |
| Sources: US News |
Why Do Schools Accept More International Students
For private institutions, international students are accepted for many reasons. First, having students from all over the world in the same classroom is a tremendous asset because it allows ideas and opinions to collide and spark innovation. This is also the reason why colleges have faculty members from different countries. Experts in a particular field can have very different views and by working together, they are given the opportunity to discuss and exchange ideas.
Money is also another reason, especially in state schools (public institutions). For most, in-state students only have to pay half or one-third of what out-of-state students and international students have to pay. This additional “income” allows schools to recruit better faculty members, acquire facilities, and improve other aspects of the school.
Ultimately, international students serve as great resources—intellectually and financially—that make colleges a better place. If you prefer an environment where you get to meet people with different background, take a look at this table and add these schools to your college list!
