UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State continued its strong standing as one of the top 15 U.S. institutions hosting international students in 2018-19, with 9,396 students at the University Park campus, in addition to more across the commonwealth, according to the Institute of International Education’s (IIE) annual Open Doors report. Penn State remains the number one receiving institution in Pennsylvania.
“Students from around the world continue to be drawn to Penn State because of the rich academic offerings and, of course, the program rankings,” said Masume Assaf, director of international student and scholar advising in Global Programs. “The positive experiences of Penn State international alumni also have a multiplying effect because they talk about their experience and education with family and friends. And, of course, we are a welcoming community.”
Penn State also remains among the top 20 institutions in sending students abroad in the U.S., sending 2,320 University Park students in 2017-18 as well as several hundred more from campuses across the commonwealth. These students study in a variety of programs, from year-long academic exchanges to short-term, faculty-led programs over breaks and summer sessions.
“At Penn State we continue to partner with faculty to develop engaging and academically focused programs for our students, which results in thousands of Penn Staters across the University gaining global perspective through study, internships and service learning abroad every year,” said Brian Brubaker, director of education abroad in Global Programs.
“It’s important that our students develop a global mindset, and hosting a large international student population in addition to a wide variety of education abroad programs are two of the most essential elements in accomplishing this," said Brubaker.
The Open Doors report is published annually by the Institute of International Education, an independent not-for-profit organization with a network of 19 offices and affiliates worldwide, and more than 1,200 member institutions.
The release of the report came in November during International Education Week, a joint, annual initiative of the U.S. Department of State and Department of Education that aims to promote international understanding and build support for international educational exchange by encouraging the development of programs that prepare Americans to live and work in a global environment and attract future leaders from abroad to study in the United States.