Higher Education
Challenges in Attracting International Students to the United States and Implications for Global Competitiveness Gao ID: GAO-07-1047T June 29, 2007More international students obtain a higher education in the United States than in any other country, and they make valuable contributions while they are here. For those students returning home after their studies, such exchanges support federal public diplomacy efforts and can improve understanding among nations. International students have earned about one-third or more of all U.S. degrees at both the master's and doctoral levels in several of the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields. Yet recent trends, including a drop in international student enrollment in U.S. colleges and universities, and policy changes after September 11, 2001, have raised concerns about whether the United States will continue to attract talented international students to its universities. This testimony is based on ongoing and published GAO work. It includes themes from a September 2006 Comptroller General's forum on current trends in international student enrollment in the United States and abroad. Invitees to the forum included experts from the Congress, federal agencies, universities, research institutions, higher education organizations, and industry.
GAO identified key issues that may affect the United States' ability to continue attracting the world's most talented international students to our universities and colleges. First, the global higher education landscape is changing and providing more alternatives for students, as other countries expand their educational capacity and technology-based distance learning opportunities increase. For example, enrollment in college-level distance education has nearly quadrupled since 1995. In addition, U.S. universities are establishing branch campuses in other countries and partnerships with international institutions, allowing international students to receive a U.S. education without leaving home. Greater competition has prompted some countries to offer courses in English and to expand their recruiting activities and incentives. Some countries also have developed strategic plans or offices focused on attracting international students. Second, the cost of obtaining a U.S. degree is among the highest in the world and rising, which may discourage international students. Average tuition in 2003 at public U.S. colleges and universities was second only to Australia. Moreover, tuition and associated costs continue to rise. While the effects of high and rising costs and related factors are difficult to estimate, some policymakers are concerned they may be discouraging international students from coming to the United States. Lastly, visa policies and procedures, tightened after September 11 to protect our national security, contributed to real and perceived barriers for international students. Post-September 11 changes included a requirement that almost all visa applicants be interviewed, affecting the number of visas issued and extending wait times for visas under certain circumstances. GAO has made several recommendations to strengthen the visa process in a way that reduces barriers for international students while balancing national security, and recent changes have improved the process. Processing times for certain security reviews have declined, and recent data show more student visas issued in the last few years. The Department of State also has taken steps to ease the burden on students, including expediting interviews and extending the length of time that some visa clearances are valid. We are continuing to study aspects of these issues. The United States must maintain an appropriate balance between protecting national security interests and ensuring our long-term competitiveness. Monitoring current trends and federal policies is essential to ensuring that the United States continues to obtain talented international students in the face of greater global competition.
GAO-07-1047T, Higher Education: Challenges in Attracting International Students to the United States and Implications for Global Competitiveness
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Testimony before the Subcommittee on International Organizations, Human
Rights and Oversight, Committee on Foreign Affairs, House of
Representatives:
United States Government Accountability Office:
GAO:
For Release on Delivery Expected at 9:30 a.m. EDT:
Friday, June 29, 2007:
HIGHER EDUCATION:
Challenges in Attracting International Students to the United States
and Implications for Global Competitiveness:
Statement of George A. Scott, Director:
Education, Workforce, and Income Security Issues:
GAO-07-1047T:
GAO Highlights:
Highlights of GAO-07-1047T, a testimony before the Subcommittee on
International Organizations, Human Rights, and Oversight, Committee on
Foreign Affairs, House of Representatives
Why GAO Did This Study:
More international students obtain a higher education in the United
States than in any other country, and they make valuable contributions
while they are here. For those students returning home after their
studies, such exchanges support federal public diplomacy efforts and
can improve understanding among nations.
International students have earned about one-third or more of all U.S.
degrees at both the master‘s and doctoral levels in several of the
science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields. Yet recent
trends, including a drop in international student enrollment in U.S.
colleges and universities, and policy changes after September 11, 2001,
have raised concerns about whether the United States will continue to
attract talented international students to its universities.
This testimony is based on ongoing and published GAO work. It includes
themes from a September 2006 Comptroller General‘s forum on current
trends in international student enrollment in the United States and
abroad. Invitees to the forum included experts from the Congress,
federal agencies, universities, research institutions, higher education
organizations, and industry.
What GAO Found:
GAO identified the following key issues that may affect the United
States‘ ability to continue attracting the world‘s most talented
international students to our universities and colleges: • The global
higher education landscape is changing and providing more alternatives
for students, as other countries expand their educational capacity and
technology-based distance learning opportunities increase. For example,
enrollment in college-level distance education has nearly quadrupled
since 1995. In addition, U.S. universities are establishing branch
campuses in other countries and partnerships with international
institutions, allowing international students to receive a U.S.
education without leaving home. Greater competition has prompted some
countries to offer courses in English and to expand their recruiting
activities and incentives. Some countries also have developed strategic
plans or offices focused on attracting international students. • The
cost of obtaining a U.S. degree is among the highest in the world and
rising, which may discourage international students. Average tuition in
2003 at public U.S. colleges and universities was second only to
Australia. Moreover, tuition and associated costs continue to rise.
While the effects of high and rising costs and related factors are
difficult to estimate, some policymakers are concerned they may be
discouraging international students from coming to the United States. •
Visa policies and procedures, tightened after September 11 to protect
our national security, contributed to real and perceived barriers for
international students. Post-September 11 changes included a
requirement that almost all visa applicants be interviewed, affecting
the number of visas issued and extending wait times for visas under
certain circumstances. GAO has made several recommendations to
strengthen the visa process in a way that reduces barriers for
international students while balancing national security, and recent
changes have improved the process. Processing times for certain
security reviews have declined, and recent data show more student visas
issued in the last few years. The Department of State also has taken
steps to ease the burden on students, including expediting interviews
and extending the length of time that some visa clearances are valid.
We are continuing to study aspects of these issues. The United States
must maintain an appropriate balance between protecting national
security interests and ensuring our long-term competitiveness.
Monitoring current trends and federal policies is essential to ensuring
that the United States continues to obtain talented international
students in the face of greater global competition.
What GAO Recommends:
This testimony does not contain recommendations.
[Hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-07-1047T].
To view the full product, including the scope and methodology, click on
the link above. For more information, contact George Scott at 202-512-
5932 or ScottG@gao.gov.
Chairman Delahunt, Chairman Hinojosa and Members of the Subcommittees:
I am pleased to be here today to discuss the challenges in attracting
international students to the United States and implications for global
competitiveness. Over 2 million students worldwide study outside of
their country of origin and make economic and foreign policy
contributions to their host countries. The United States has relied on
undergraduate and graduate students from other countries to support
both economic and foreign policy interests. International students have
been important sources of innovation and productivity in our
increasingly knowledge-based economy, brought needed research and
workforce skills, and strengthened our labor force. For those students
returning home after their studies, such exchanges support federal
public diplomacy efforts and can improve understanding among nations.
The United States' competitiveness in a global society must strike a
proper balance among protecting our national security interests,
ensuring our long-term competitiveness, and building bridges with other
nations and their people. It is also essential that we continue to
develop our own domestic capacity.
My testimony today touches on several of the key issues that may affect
the United States' ability to continue attracting the world's most
talented international students to our universities and colleges. My
remarks today are drawn primarily from previous GAO reports, and the
framework for discussing the issues is based on the perspectives and
insights from the Comptroller General's forum held in September 2006 to
discuss American global competitiveness in higher education that
included leaders from government, universities, research institutions,
higher education organizations, and industry.[Footnote 1] The forum
participants' suggestions and views reported here are not intended to
reflect the views of GAO. All of the work on which this testimony is
based was performed in accordance with generally accepted government
auditing standards.
In summary:
* The global landscape of higher education is changing and providing
more alternatives for students, particularly as other countries expand
their educational capacity and technology-based distance learning
opportunities increase.
* The cost of obtaining a degree in the United States is rising, which
may discourage international students from enrolling in our colleges
and universities.
* Visa policies and procedures, tightened after September 11, 2001, to
protect our national security interests, may have contributed to real
and perceived barriers for international students seeking to enter the
country, but recent changes have helped ease barriers.
Background:
The United States has historically sought to attract international
students to its colleges and universities. In recent years
international students have earned about one-third or more of all of
the U.S. degrees at both the master's and doctoral levels in several of
the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. In
academic year 2002-2003 alone, international students earned between 45
percent and 57 percent of all the STEM degrees in the United
States.[Footnote 2]
Several federal agencies coordinate efforts to attract and bring
international students to the United States and implement related
requirements. The Department of State (State) manages the student visa
application process, administers some student exchange programs, offers
grants to facilitate international exchanges, and provides information
promoting educational opportunities in the United States. State's
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs supports a global network of
more than 450 advising centers around the world that provide
comprehensive information about educational opportunities in the United
States and guidance on how to access those opportunities. In addition,
the Undersecretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs has
undertaken ongoing efforts at outreach. For example, the office has
organized several delegations of American university presidents to
travel overseas with the Undersecretary in order to emphasize the
United States' interest in welcoming international students. The
Department of Homeland Security enforces immigration laws and oversees
applications for changes in immigration status. It also administers the
Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), an Internet-
based system that maintains data on international students and exchange
visitors before and during their stay in the United States. Finally,
the Department of Education (Education) sponsors initiatives to
encourage academic exchanges between the United States and other
countries, and the Department of Commerce offers various activities to
help U.S. educational institutions market their programs abroad.
Students or exchange visitors interested in studying in the United
States must first be admitted to a U.S. school or university before
starting the visa process.[Footnote 3] Most full-time students enter
the United States under temporary visas, which usually permit them to
stay for the duration of their studies but may require renewals if they
return home before their studies are complete. In order to apply for a
visa at a U.S. embassy or consulate, students are required to submit a
SEVIS[Footnote 4] -generated document issued by a U.S. college or
university or State-designated sponsor organization when they apply for
a visa.[Footnote 5] State advises student applicants to apply early for
a student or exchange visitor visa to make sure that there is
sufficient time to obtain an appointment for a visa interview and for
visa processing. Among the long-standing requirements for students
applying for a visa is that they demonstrate an "intent to return" to
their country of origin after they complete their studies. Graduates
who wish to stay and work in the United States beyond the time allowed
by their student visas generally need to receive approval for a change
in status, for example, through a temporary work visa or through
permanent residency.
Although the United States continues to enroll more international
students than any other country, the number of international students
enrolled in U.S. higher education institutions leveled off and even
dropped slightly after 2001, as shown in figure 1. Figure 2 shows that
the U.S. share of international students worldwide decreased between
2000 and 2004. According to the Institute of International Education,
the decline in the number of international students attending U.S.
higher education institutions between 2002 and 2003 was the first drop
in over 30 years.[Footnote 6] While some preliminary data suggest that
international student enrollment numbers may be rebounding, enrollments
have yet to return to previous levels. Nevertheless, the United States
continues to be a prime study destination for international students
for numerous reasons: its high-quality higher education institutions,
top-ranked graduate programs, strong research funding, English-
language curriculum, and a diverse foreign-born faculty.
Figure 1: Estimated Number of International Students Enrolled in U.S.
Higher Education, 1984/1985 to 2005/2006:
[See PDF for image]
Source: Institute of International Education (IIE) data.
[End of figure]
Figure 2: Estimated Percentage of All International Higher Education
Students Enrolled in a Selection of Countries by Destination, 2000 and
2004:
[See PDF for image]
Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
Data.
Note: Information in this graph includes only those countries for which
both 2000 and 2004 data were available, except for Canada, for which
the year of reference is 2002. GAO did not assess the reliability of
the data for the percentage of students enrolled in schools outside the
United States. Also, the definition of international students is not
uniform across countries.
[A] Other OECD countries include Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland,
Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Korea, Luxembourg, Mexico,
the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, the Slovak Republic, Spain,
Sweden, Switzerland, and Turkey.
[B] Non-OECD countries include Brazil, Chile, India, Malaysia, the
Russian Federation, South Africa, and others.
[End of figure]
The Global Higher Education Landscape Is Providing More Options for
Students:
As worldwide demand for higher education continues to rise, changes in
the global higher education landscape have provided students with more
options. For example, technological advancements have spurred online
courses and even completely online programs that cater largely to
nontraditional students having work and family commitments. Between
1995 and 2001, enrollment in distance education at the college level
nearly quadrupled to over 3 million students, according to Education's
most recent data.
In addition, international partnerships allow institutions to share
faculty members and facilitate study abroad opportunities.
International branch campuses now provide international students the
opportunity to receive an American education without leaving their home
country.
Greater competition has prompted some countries to embrace instruction
in English and encouraged other systems to expand their recruiting
activities and incentives. Germany alone offers nearly 400 courses in
English that are geared toward international students. In terms of
recruiting, several of the participants during our global
competitiveness and higher education forum suggested that some
countries appear more committed to attracting international students
than the United States or are now competing with the United States for
the best and the brightest students. Japan offers the same subsidized
tuition rates to international students as domestic students, while
Singapore offers all students tuition grants covering up to 80 percent
of tuition fees as long as they commit to working in Singapore for 3
years after graduation. France and Japan have also strengthened and
expanded their scholarship programs for international students. Some
countries' recruiting efforts include providing scholarships to
international students who may not be able to afford the costs of
obtaining a higher education degree in the United States.
In addition, some countries have also developed strategic plans or
offices that address efforts to attract international students. The
German Academic Exchange Service and EduFrance offer examples where
government agencies have been tasked with international student
recruitment. Participants at GAO's forum on global competitiveness
expressed concerns that the United States lacked such a national
strategy for recruiting international students and emphasized a need to
both explore new sources of international students as well as cultivate
U.S. domestic capacity.
Rising Cost of U.S. Higher Education May Discourage Some International
Students from Coming:
As the cost of attending college in the United States rises,
international students may be discouraged from coming here to study.
Higher education in the United States ranks among the most expensive in
the world. As shown from OECD data in table 1, in 2003-2004 annual
average tuition at public U.S. colleges and universities ($4,587) was
second only to Australia ($5,289) and more than 2.5 times higher than
Europe's system with the highest tuition fees, that of the United
Kingdom.[Footnote 7] In terms of private higher education providers,
U.S. institutions ranked the highest at more than $17,000 per year
followed by Australia ($13,420), Italy ($3,992), and Portugal ($3,803).
Table 1: Estimated Annual Average Tuition Fees Charged by Select OECD
Countries' Tertiary-Type A Educational Institutions (School Year 2003-
2004):
OECD countries: Australia; Public institutions: $5,289; Private
institutions: $13,420.
OECD countries: United States; Public institutions: 4,587; Private
institutions: 17,777.
OECD countries: Canada; Public institutions: 3,267; Private
institutions: --.
OECD countries: New Zealand; Public institutions: 2,538; Private
institutions: 3,075.
OECD countries: Italy; Public institutions: 983; Private institutions:
3,992.
OECD countries: Portugal; Public institutions: 868; Private
institutions: 3,803.
OECD countries: Austria; Public institutions: 853; Private
institutions: 800.
OECD countries: Spain; Public institutions: 801; Private institutions:
--.
OECD countries: Belgium (Other); Public institutions: 658; Private
institutions: 751.
OECD countries: Belgium (Flanders); Public institutions: 540; Private
institutions: 536.
OECD countries: Hungary; Public institutions: 351; Private
institutions: 991.
OECD countries: Czech Republic; Public institutions: 0; Private
institutions: 3,449.
OECD countries: Denmark; Public institutions: 0; Private institutions:
--.
OECD countries: Finland; Public institutions: 0; Private institutions:
0.
OECD countries: Iceland; Public institutions: 0; Private institutions:
3,000.
OECD countries: Slovak Republic; Public institutions: 0; Private
institutions: --.
OECD countries: Sweden; Public institutions: 0; Private institutions: 0.
OECD countries: Netherlands; Public institutions: --; Private
institutions: 1,565.
OECD countries: United Kingdom; Public institutions: --; Private
institutions: $1,794.
Source: OECD Education at a Glance 2006. Paris.
Note: In equivalent U.S. dollars converted using purchasing power
parity (PPP), by type of institutions, based on full-time students.
Zero values indicate no tuition and dashed values indicate that data
were either missing or the category was not applicable. These figures
represent the weighted average of the main Tertiary-type A programs and
do not cover all educational institutions. However, the figures
reported can be considered as good proxies and show the difference
among countries in tuition fees charged by main educational
institutions for the majority of students. Tertiary-type A programs are
largely theory-based and designed to provide sufficient qualifications
for entry to advanced research programs and professions with high skill
requirements. They have a minimum cumulative theoretical duration of
three years' full-time equivalent, although they typically last four or
more years.
[End of table]
Moreover, student costs at U.S. colleges and universities continue to
rise. Figure 3 depicts average undergraduate tuition and room and board
costs between 1976 and 2004 for full-time students in degree-granting
programs at both 4-year public and private higher education
institutions as well as public 2-year institutions. Average costs for
private colleges and universities have risen the most since 1990, from
$13,237 to $26,489. However, in percentage terms the most growth took
place at 4-year public institutions; the change between 1990 and 2004
was approximately 118 percent compared to a 100 percent increase at 4-
year privates and an 83 percent increase at 2-year institutions.
Figure 3: Average Undergraduate Tuition and Fees and Room and Board
Rates Charged for Full-Time Students in Degree-Granting Institutions,
by Type and Control of Institution: 1976-1977 through 2004-2005:
[See PDF for image]
Source: U.S. Department of Education. Digest of Education Statistics:
2005:
Note: Data for 1986-1987 and later years reflect a basis of 20 meals
per week rather than meals 7 days per week. Because of this revision in
data collection and tabulation procedures, data are not entirely
comparable with figures for previous years. Room and board data are
estimated. Data were imputed using alternative procedures. Preliminary
data based on fall 2003 enrollment weights. Data are for the entire
academic year and are average total charges for full-time attendance.
Tuition and fees were weighted by the number of full-time-equivalent
undergraduates, but were not adjusted to reflect student residency.
Room and board were based on full-time students. The data have not been
adjusted for changes in the purchasing power of the dollar over time.
Data for 1976-1977 to 1996-1997 are for institutions of higher
education. Institutions of higher education were accredited by an
agency or association that was recognized by the U.S. Department of
Education, or recognized directly by the Secretary of Education.
Because of their low response rate, data for private 2-year colleges
must be interpreted with caution.
[End of figure]
International students generally do not rely on U.S. federal funding to
study in the United States. According to the Institute of International
Education's Open Doors 2004/2005 report, which provides data on
international student mobility patterns from U.S. universities, an
estimated 71 percent of all international students reported their
primary source of funding coming from personal and family sources or
other sources outside of the United States. The effects of high and
rising tuition and other factors on international enrollment patterns
are difficult to estimate, but some policymakers are concerned that
costs may be discouraging some international students from coming to
U.S. higher education institutions.
Changes in U.S. Visa Policies Contributed to Real and Perceived
Barriers for International Students to Enter the Country, but Recent
Improvements Have Helped Ease Some of the Burden:
After September 11, State and Homeland Security, as well as other
agencies, took various steps to strengthen the visa process as an
antiterrorism tool. This has made the visa process more robust, but may
have contributed to real and perceived barriers for international
students as well as fueled perceptions that international students were
not welcome. Almost all visa applicants must now be interviewed by a
consular adjudicating officer at a U.S. embassy or post; this
requirement has both affected the number of visas issued and extended
wait times for visas under certain circumstances.[Footnote 8] We have
reviewed aspects of the visa process and have made many recommendations
to strengthen the process in a way that reduces barriers for
international students while balancing national security interests. In
October 2002 we cited the need for a clear policy on how to balance
national security concerns with the desire to facilitate legitimate
travel when issuing visas and made several recommendations to help
improve the visa process.[Footnote 9] In 2003, we reported that the
Departments of State, Homeland Security, and Justice could more
effectively manage the visa process if they had clear and comprehensive
policies and procedures as well as increased agency coordination and
information sharing.[Footnote 10] In 2005 we reported on State's
management of J-1 exchange programs.[Footnote 11] Separately in 2005,
we reported on the department's efforts to improve the time required to
process visas for international science students and scholars as well
as others.[Footnote 12] In 2004 we found that the time to adjudicate a
visa depended largely on whether an applicant had to undergo a Visas
Mantis security check. Visas Mantis security checks target foreigners
who might be involved in violation or evasion of U.S. laws by exporting
goods, software, technology, or sensitive information, aiming to
prevent proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and conventional
weapons. Between January 2004 and June 2006, almost 28 percent of all
visa applications sent for Mantis security checks were for students or
exchange participants. State has acknowledged that long wait times may
discourage legitimate travel to the United States, potentially costing
the country billions of dollars in economic benefits, including from
foreign students,[Footnote 13] and adversely influencing foreign
citizens' impressions and opinions of our nation.
Much progress has been made over the years with respect to the visa
process. Since 2002, State and other agencies have implemented many of
our recommendations aimed at strengthening the visa process as an
antiterrorism tool while improving processes to facilitate legitimate
travel. In particular, State has issued standard operating procedures,
in consultation with Homeland Security, to inform consular officers on
issues such as special security checks and student visa requirements.
In 2005, we reported a significant decline in both Visas Mantis
processing times and cases pending more than 60 days.[Footnote 14]
Recent visa data show an increase in the number of student visas issued
in the last few years.[Footnote 15] According to State Department data,
the combined student visa issuance levels for fiscal year 2006
increased by about 20 percent from fiscal year 2002. See figure 4 for
the issuance trends for individual student visa categories.
Broader efforts to facilitate travel to the United States for
international students have also been implemented. State has expedited
interviews for students. In addition, the length of time that some visa
clearances are valid has been extended. In February 2007, State issued
guidance to posts that applicants should receive an appointment for a
student visa interview within 15 days or less.[Footnote 16] We are
continuing to study aspect of these issues, including visa delays and
Visas Mantis security checks, which we will be reporting on in the
coming months.
Figure 4: Student Visa Issuance Trends, Fiscal Years 2002 to 2006:
[See PDF for image]
Source: GAO analysis of Department of State data.
[End of figure]
Concluding Observations:
The United States must maintain an appropriate balance between
protecting national security interests and ensuring our long-term
competitiveness. The United States has relied on undergraduate and
graduate students from other countries to support both economic and
foreign policy interests. Changes designed to protect national security
in the wake of September 11 may have contributed to real and perceived
barriers for international students, and the subsequent decline in
international enrollments raises concerns about the long-term
competitiveness of U.S. colleges and universities. Rising U.S. tuition
costs and growing higher education options worldwide further
demonstrate that the United States cannot take its position as the top
destination for international students for granted. While federal
efforts to reduce barriers for international students have helped,
monitoring current trends and federal policies is essential to ensuring
that the United States continues to obtain talented international
students in the face of greater global competition.
Mr. Chairman, this concludes my prepared statement. I would be happy to
respond to any questions you or other members of the subcommittees may
have at this time.
GAO Contacts:
For further information regarding this testimony, please contact me at
(202) 512-7215. Individuals making key contributions to this testimony
include Sherri Doughty, Carlo Salerno, Marissa Jones, John Brummet,
Eugene Beye, Carmen Donohue, Eve Weisberg, Melissa Pickworth, and
Susannah Compton.
FOOTNOTES
[1] GAO, Highlights of a GAO Forum: Global Competitiveness:
Implications for the Nation's Higher Education System, GAO-07-135SP
(Washington, D.C.: Jan. 23, 2007).
[2] GAO, Higher Education: Federal Science, Technology, Engineering,
and Mathematics Programs and Related Trends, GAO-06-114 (Washington,
D.C.: Oct. 12, 2005).
[3] A visa allows a foreign citizen to travel to a U.S. port-of entry
and request permission from the U.S. immigration officer to enter the
United States. It does not guarantee entry into the United States.
[4] Section 641 of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant
Responsibility Act of 1996 (IIRIRA), as amended, requires the creation
and implementation of a program to collect information relating to
nonimmigrant foreign students and exchange visitor program participants
during the course of their stay in the United States. Pub. L. No. 104-
208, Div. C, Tit. VI, § 641, 110 Stat. 3009-704 (1996), codified as
amended at 8 U.S.C. § 1372. The program became known as SEVP (Student
and Exchange Visitor Program), and its core technology became known as
SEVIS. It is administered by the Bureau of Immigration and Customs
Enforcement (ICE) within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and
is an Internet-based system that maintains data on foreign students and
exchange visitors before and during their stay in the United States.
[5] The U.S. academic institution or program sponsor provides the
appropriate SEVIS-generated form when the applicant has been
academically admitted to the institution or accepted as a participant
in an exchange program. To ensure that they will be able to arrive in
time for the start of their educational program in the United States,
applicants need to request and receive the appropriate visa-qualifying
document from the U.S. institution or program sponsor well in advance
of their planned arrival in the United States.
[6] Institute of International Education, Open Doors: Report on
International Educational Exchange, 2004, New York.
[7] Higher education institutions in the United Kingdom are privately
controlled. However, because they are funded largely by the state, they
are commonly regarded as public institutions in international
comparative analyses.
[8] See GAO, Border Security: Reassessment of Consular Resource
Requirements Could Help Address Visa Delays, GAO-06-542T (Washington,
DC: Apr. 4, 2006).
[9] GAO, Border Security: Visa Process Should Be Strengthened as an
Antiterrorism Tool, GAO-03-123NI (Washington, D.C.: Oct. 21, 2002).
[10] GAO, Border Security: New Policies and Increased Interagency
Coordination Needed to Improve Visa Process, GAO-03-1013T (Washington,
DC: July 15, 2003).
[11] GAO, State Department: Stronger Action Needed to Improve Oversight
and Assess Risks of the Summer Work Travel and Trainee Categories of
the Exchange Visitor Program, GAO-06-106 (Washington, D.C.: Oct. 14,
2005).
[12] GAO, Border Security: Streamlined Visas Mantis Program Has Lowered
Burden on Foreign Science Students and Scholars but Further Refinements
Needed, GAO-05-198 (Washington, D.C.: Feb. 18, 2005).
[13] In March 2007, the Deputy Secretary of State for Visa Services
testified that, according to Department of Commerce figures,
international students contribute $13.5 billion each year to
institutions they attend and the surrounding communities in which they
live.
[14] GAO, Border Security: Streamlined Visas Mantis Program Has Lowered
Burden on Foreign Science Students and Scholars, but Further
Refinements Needed, GAO-05-198 (Washington, D.C.: Feb. 18, 2005).
[15] For purposes of this testimony, unless otherwise noted, when we
refer to student and exchange visitor visas we are referring to F-1 and
J-1 visa categories only. The F-1 is for individuals seeking to study
at accredited American higher education institutions and the
J-1 is for participants in visitor exchange programs.
[16] In July 2004, State issued a cable to posts that directed them to
give priority scheduling to persons applying for F, J, and M visas. As
explained in the cable, students and exchange visitors are often
subject to deadlines, so State directed posts to have well-publicized
and transparent procedures in place for obtaining priority appointments
for them.
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