United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr James Entwistle.
By Wuraola Ajanlekoko
November 21, 2015
A new report released on November 17 by the Institute of International Education (IIE) has revealed that a total of 9,494 Nigerian students are currently studying in various colleges and universities in the United States.
This makes Nigeria the leading source of students from Africa and the 15th largest worldwide, of all the international students studying in America since 2012.
Students from Nigeria in the United States study primarily at the undergraduate level, with 50.2 percent enrolled at the undergraduate level, 35.2 percent at the graduate level and 12.6 percent pursuing optional practical training. Approximately two percent engage in non-degree programs or short-term studies.
The overall number of international students at American colleges and universities increased by 10 per cent to a record high of 974,926 in the 2014/15 academic year, the highest rate in 35 years, according to the IIE’s Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange.
The report affirmed: “this strong growth confirms that the United States remains the destination of choice in higher education.”
The United states is believed to host more of the world’s 4.5 million globally mobile college and university students than any other country in the world, with nearly 90,00 more international students enrolled in America’s higher education in 2014/15, compared to the previous year.
As part of the International Education Week celebrations, EducationUsa Lagos hosted alumni and admitted students of several U.S universities at the U.S Consulate between November 16 and 20, with the former speaking about their alma mater to the latter.
The embassy in Abuja also on November 18, hosted a virtual college fair for students, parents and guidance counselors. Each year, EducationUSA Nigeria hosts a college fair targeted at secondary school and graduate students from all over the country, with representatives of many U.S higher education representatives showcasing opportunities on offer.
The IIE publishes the Open Doors report annually, in partnership with the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.