The places that dominated in sending students to the United States for postsecondary study are shown below for each region. While countries like China and India in Asia sent by far the most students, countries that stood out in other regions were Nigeria in Africa, Mexico and Brazil in Latin America, and Saudi Arabia and Iran in the Middle East. The number of international students who came from Ethiopia and Nepal increased by more than 20 percent from 2015-16 to 2016-17.
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| AFRICA, SUB-SAHARAN | 37,735 | 35,364 | 6.7% | 3.5% |
| East Africa | 8,480 | 7,690 | 10.3% | 0.8% |
| Kenya | 3,189 | 3,019 | 5.6% | 0.3% |
| Ethiopia | 1,847 | 1,517 | 21.8% | 0.2% |
| Rwanda | 1,088 | 928 | 17.2% | 0.1% |
| Central Africa | 3,545 | 3,311 | 7.1% | 0.3% |
| Cameroon | 1,334 | 1,210 | 10.2% | 0.1% |
| Democratic Republic of the Congo | 1,137 | 949 | 19.8% | 0.1% |
| Gabon | 363 | 410 | -11.5% | 0.0% |
| Southern Africa | 6,473 | 6,263 | 3.4% | 0.6% |
| South Africa | 1,911 | 1,813 | 5.4% | 0.2% |
| Zimbabwe | 1,330 | 1,295 | 2.7% | 0.1% |
| Angola | 1,257 | 1,296 | -3.0% | 0.1% |
| West Africa | 19,237 | 18,100 | 6.3% | 1.8% |
| Nigeria | 11,710 | 10,674 | 9.7% | 1.1% |
| Ghana | 3,111 | 3,049 | 2.0% | 0.3% |
| Côte d’Ivoire/Ivory Coast | 1,353 | 1,229 | 10.1% | 0.1% |
| ASIA | 734,309 | 689,525 | 6.5% | 68.1% |
| East Asia | 459,284 | 439,702 | 4.5% | 42.6% |
| China | 350,755 | 328,547 | 6.8% | 32.5% |
| South Korea | 58,663 | 61,007 | -3.8% | 5.4% |
| Taiwan | 21,516 | 21,127 | 1.8% | 2.0% |
| South and Central Asia | 218,937 | 195,135 | 12.2% | 20.3% |
| India | 186,267 | 165,918 | 12.3% | 17.3% |
| Nepal | 11,607 | 9,662 | 20.1% | 1.1% |
| Bangladesh | 7,143 | 6,513 | 9.7% | 0.7% |
| Southeast Asia | 56,088 | 54,688 | 2.6% | 5.2% |
| Vietnam | 22,438 | 21,403 | 4.8% | 2.1% |
| Indonesia | 8,776 | 8,727 | 0.6% | 0.8% |
| Malaysia | 8,247 | 7,834 | 5.3% | 0.8% |
| EUROPE | 92,820 | 91,915 | 1.0% | 8.6% |
| Britain | 11,489 | 11,599 | -0.9% | 1.1% |
| Turkey | 10,586 | 10,691 | -1.0% | 1.0% |
| Germany | 10,169 | 10,145 | 0.2% | 0.9% |
| LATIN AMERICA & CARIBBEAN | 79,655 | 84,908 | -6.2% | 7.4% |
| Caribbean | 11,351 | 11,042 | 2.8% | 1.1% |
| Jamaica | 2,797 | 2,510 | 11.4% | 0.3% |
| Bahamas | 2,252 | 2,027 | 11.1% | 0.2% |
| Dominican Republic | 1,428 | 1,513 | -5.6% | 0.1% |
| Mexico and Central America | 25,158 | 24,983 | 0.7% | 2.3% |
| Mexico | 16,835 | 16,733 | 0.6% | 1.6% |
| Honduras | 2,046 | 1,985 | 3.1% | 0.2% |
| Panama | 1,588 | 1,537 | 3.3% | 0.1% |
| South America | 43,146 | 48,883 | -11.7% | 4.0% |
| Brazil | 13,089 | 19,370 | -32.4% | 1.2% |
| Venezuela | 8,540 | 8,267 | 3.3% | 0.8% |
| Colombia | 7,982 | 7,815 | 2.1% | 0.7% |
| MIDDLE EAST & NORTH AFRICA | 100,014 | 108,227 | -7.6% | 9.3% |
| Middle East | 92,470 | 100,926 | -8.4% | 8.6% |
| Saudi Arabia | 52,611 | 61,287 | -14.2% | 4.9% |
| Iran | 12,643 | 12,269 | 3.0% | 1.2% |
| Kuwait | 9,825 | 9,772 | 0.5% | 0.9% |
| North Africa | 7,544 | 7,301 | 3.3% | 0.7% |
| Egypt | 3,715 | 3,442 | 7.9% | 0.3% |
| Morocco | 1,634 | 1,495 | 9.3% | 0.2% |
| Libya | 1,311 | 1,514 | -13.4% | 0.1% |
| NORTH AMERICA | 27,065 | 26,973 | 0.3% | 2.5% |
| Canada | 27,065 | 26,973 | 0.3% | 2.5% |
| OCEANIA | 7,222 | 6,917 | 4.4% | 0.7% |
| Australia | 4,933 | 4,752 | 3.8% | 0.5% |
| New Zealand | 1,741 | 1,608 | 8.3% | 0.2% |
| Tonga | 133 | 130 | 2.3% | 0.0% |
| STATELESS | 2 | 10 | -80.0% | 0.0% |
| WORLD TOTAL | 1,078,822 | 1,043,839 | 3.4% | 100.0% |
Note: International-student census data are based on a survey conducted by the Institute of International Education in partnership with the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. The data represent international enrollment at 2,105 accredited U.S. institutions. The three countries that sent the most students to the United States in 2016-17 are shown for each region. Percentage distribution may not add to 100 because of rounding. Questions or comments on the Almanac should be sent to the Almanac editor.
Source: Institute of International Education. “Leading Places of Origin, 2016/17.” Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange.
