Applications from international graduate students to The University of Texas at Austin rose by 8.3 percent for 2019, despite a recent trend of diminishing international applications at U.S. universities.
University-wide admittance and new enrollment rates also rose in 2019. Graduate programs at the university admitted 14 percent more international students and newly enrolled 7.6 percent more than in 2018.
The increase follows two-straight years of declines at U.S. universities in international enrollments. According to the “Open Doors” report from the Institute of International Education and the U.S. State Department, international graduate enrollments nationwide declined by 5.5 percent in 2017, and 1.3 percent in 2018:
At UT Austin, international graduate applications declined by 5.4 percent in 2018, but new enrollments stayed the same as the previous year.
Recruiting top international students to UT Austin has been a strategic priority of the Graduate School. Graduate School Dean and Senior Vice Provost for Academic Affairs Mark J. T. Smith prioritized international recruitment upon starting at the university in the fall of 2017.
“International students are vital to the research and teaching missions of the university,” Smith said. “Graduate students are the engine of our research enterprise and serve as mentors and teachers for undergraduates. In an increasingly global society, it is imperative that we recruit the top students from around the world—and I would like to thank the many people and offices at the university for their commitment to this effort.”
Currently, there are 3,139 international graduate students enrolled at the university. International students account for 29.5 percent of the 10,636 total graduate students enrolled.
Leading up to the 2019 academic year, the Graduate School conducted email, print and social media marketing campaigns to reach prospective international graduate students, including producing a video that features current international students:
Additionally, graduate application, admittance and new enrollment rates among U.S. and permanent residents increased at UT Austin for the 2019 academic year, with applications growing 4.7 percent, admittances 2.8 percent and new enrollments growing 9.7 percent.
The university’s Graduate and International Admissions Center compiles application data based on summer and fall semesters, and enrollment data based on fall semesters.