Approximately two-thirds of universities with the highest foreign student enrollments experienced declines in applications, according to The New York Times. Chinese applications to U.S. graduate schools fell by 45 percent from fall 2003, and applications from India dropped 28 percent. Studies by various organizations conclude that this overall decline is part of a continuing trend that started in the fall of 2003. The two-year trend shows the first decline in international enrollment since 1971.
"I am a little surprised, but no, we have not seen a decrease trend," said Dean of Admissions Tom Parker. "In fact, we have had an increase in the number of international students at Amherst from five to six percent over the last two years."
The tightening of post-Sept. 11, 2001 immigration procedures has been cited as the main cause of the decline. Science and technical students applying for visas now must be cleared by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Central Intelligence Agency, according to The Times. The students' local U.S. embassies also need to clear them for a visa.
"It has become a lot harder for foreign students to receive student visas in the wake of 9/11," said Dale du Preez '07, a student from South Africa. "Instead of the old INS department, there are now three departments within the State Department that deal with homeland security and immigration."
Although the College has not experienced a decrease in foreign students, Parker said that he has talked to colleagues whose schools are experiencing the decline. "I have talked to colleagues about students having problems getting visas," he said.
However, Parker reported that the College has faced only one such visa problem in the last two years. "Only once in two years has a student not been able to matriculate at the College because of a problem getting a visa," he said. "Interestingly, he was from Canada."
Articles in The Times and The Chronicle of Higher Education also list other reasons for the decline, including the establishment of stronger graduate programs in countries such as China, from which American colleges and universities usually receive many of their international students. Other English-speaking countries such as the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada have also improved their international student programs, increasing the competition for acceptance at American colleges and universities.
"The College is certainly not decreasing its interest in international students. If anything, we are trying to think about how we can increase the number of students," said President Anthony Marx. "I have not heard about our students not getting visas, but it is a problem at other institutions. The national statistics are quite clear. It has been quite problematic since Sept. 11."
Some international students question just how drastically applications have dropped. "More and more people apply to American schools even though it's hard to get a student visa," said Kay Kim '08. Kim, who is from South Korea, said that it took her about a month-and-a-half to acquire her student visa, and she had to set a date a month in advance for an interview at the U.S. embassy.
Christina Nickolova '06, a student from Bulgaria who went to high school in New Mexico, said she had no problem obtaining her visa. "It was exactly three days between dropping off my passport and picking ... up [the visa]," she said.
According to most international students at the College, the quality of education here is enough motivation to apply, with or without troublesome immigration procedures. "I wanted to come to the U.S. so I could pursue a liberal arts degree, which I wouldn't be able to do in South Africa," said du Preez.
Parker is happy that the College has not experienced any problems getting foreign students to apply and matriculate. "We're tickled that it is not affecting us," he said.