U.S. Universities See Increase in Students from Latin America

Universities all across the U.S. have seen an increase in the number of students from Latin America. These universities welcome a record number of international students from all around the world each year.

 In a report with US News, the U.S. had welcomed 974,926 from all around the world during the 2014-2015 school year. which is a 10 percent increase from the previous years. The report also said that while Asians did dominate the population of international students, with those of Chinese descent taking up 31 percent of this population, the Latin American and Carribean population also stands out. According to the report, the countries which comprise the highest number of international students are China, India and Brazil. 

According to the report, the region, which includes countries like Brazil, Mexico and Venezuela, is reportedly the fastest-growing population for international students in the United States, the report says. The report also said that the number of students from both Latin America and the Caribbean had seen an increase by more than 19 percent from last year. The number of students had reached 86,378, which is nearly 9 percent of an international student population in the U.S. One of the factors of this growth is fueled by exchange programs helmed by both the U.S. and several Latin American governments.

The Open Doors report also showed that countries from Latin America and the Caribbean are increasingly becoming popular destinations for students from the U.S. who want to experience a more global educational experience. These regions have come close to Europe, which currently opens its doors to 53 percent of U.S. students. 

"We are excited to see that record numbers of students are taking advantage of international education opportunities, and we applaud the efforts of U.S. higher education as we work together to increase the number of American students who study abroad," said Evan Ryan, Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs at the U.S. Department of State in a report with IPS News.

"It is critical that we continue to make study abroad more accessible. These exchanges strengthen ties between the United States and countries around the world. By increasing accessibility to study abroad, we are investing in our future and providing a forum to solve global challenges." he added. 

The report also showed that students from Brazil had increased in 78 percent to 23,675 this year, which would account for 12 percent of total population growth.