International Students in American Higher Education: A Quantitative Study Comparing Their Distribution from Both Synchronic and Diachronic Perspectives and the Implications on Policy Making

Abstract

This study applies the Wilcoxon signed-rank test and Kruskal-Wallis test to explore the significant differences in international student populations among five American regions from both the synchronic and diachronic perspectives. The study found significant differences in international student populations among the five American regions in 2016. Further, Northeastern, Southeastern, and Midwestern regions had significantly larger international student populations in 2016 than in 2015, while Western and Southwestern regions did not. The variables of climate, geographic location, and the population of immigrants were found to be the main reasons for the distribution of international students. The findings suggest four potential strategies for promoting the internationalization of higher education and the enrollment of international students. The article concludes by recommending three areas for possible future research.