Foreign student numbers rise in US

The number of foreign students accepted by US graduate schools has risen for a third consecutive year, according to a survey to be released on Tuesday. Many in academia say the 8 per cent rise is a clear sign that US government efforts to improve the tedious student visa process are working.But even after three years of growth, 78 per cent of US graduate schools reported fewer international applicants this year than in 2003, according to the survey by the Council of Graduate Schools.……….The US State Department responded by revamping its policy, extending visas for science and engineering students and increasing staff levels to shorten visa processing times.The survey found that nearly a third of US graduate schools have established joint or dual-degree programmes with international universities – an indication of the growing globalisation of higher education.[View Full Article]