Where do foreign students attend school?

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As of September 2026, 147,398 international students were studying in California, most of any state. This number reflects those who hold F-1 or M-1 student visas and maintain active student status.

147K

international students in California (September 2026)

#1

New York University, the top school for international enrollment in 2024
To study in the US, an international student must first be accepted to a school that has been certified by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP). These include K–12 programs, vocational schools, professional programs (e.g., M.D., J.D.), language schools, colleges, and universities, and may be public or private. In 2024, there were 6,152 SEVP-certified schools with at least one foreign student.
After a prospective student is accepted, the school registers them with ICE's Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) database. The student can then apply for a visa: F-1 for academic programs (including language schools) and M-1 for technical study at a vocational school.

There were 147,398 international students in California, most of any state.

Active foreign student enrollment, F-1 and M-1 visa holders, September 2026

The total number of international students in September 2026 was about 1.2 million, down 7.7% from September 2025. Enrollment numbers ebb and flow during the year as some students leave school and new ones enter, so it is useful to look at values from the same month in different years to understand changes over time.

International enrollment decreased in 46 states versus the prior year.

Change in active foreign student enrollment, F-1 and M-1 visa holders, September 2026 vs. September 2025

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In 2024, international students accounted for 1.6% of all enrolled students, including in pre-K, K-12, and postsecondary schools. International enrollment varied by state, ranging between 0.2% of all students in Alaska and 5.3% in Massachusetts. In Washington DC, 7.7% of students came from outside the US.

5.3% of all students in Massachusetts were attending school on student visas, most of any state.

F-1 and M-1 visa holders as a share of the enrolled population aged 3+, 2024

Most international students do not come to the US for primary or secondary school: as of September 2026, 40.7% were pursuing master's degrees; 28.6%, bachelor's; 17.3% doctorate; and 5.0% associate. The remaining 8.4% includes the students in every other kind of program, from primary to secondary school to professional, vocational, and language programs.

91.6% of all international students in the US attend postsecondary programs that offer academic credit.

F-1 and M-1 visa holders, September 2026

In May 2022, the share of international students pursuing master's (34.2%) and bachelor's degrees (34.0%) was similar, separated by less than one percentage point. As of September 2026, the master's degree was 12.1 percentage points more common than the bachelor's degree.
Accredited colleges and universities offer the academic degrees that are most-pursued by international students. SEVIS tracks foreign enrollment at these institutions, publishing an annual list of the 500 schools with the most academic visa holders.
Foreign enrollment at these institutions is measured in terms of active SEVIS records and not individual students, because one student may have multiple active records over the course of a single year. In 2024, the school that enrolled the most international students was New York University, with 25,617.

In 2024, 21 schools accounted for 20% of all active foreign student enrollment.

Schools with more than 10,000 active foreign student records

In 2024, 21 schools accounted for 20% of all active foreign student enrollment.
SchoolActive SEVIS Records, 2024

New York University

25,617

Northeastern University

24,968

Columbia University in the City of New York

24,042

University of Southern California

20,562

Arizona State University

20,114

University of Illinois

17,792

Boston University

15,701

University of North Texas

14,213

Purdue University

13,568

University of Michigan

13,292

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Methodology

USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.

Page sources

USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.