According to a report released by the US Department of State on Monday, Taiwanese students have once again solidified their position as the fifth largest group of international students studying in the United States.

The number of Taiwanese students studying in the US during the 2023-2024 academic year increased by 6.1% to 23,157, accounting for 2.1% of the total international student population. This marks a continued upward trend since 2015, with a brief interruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic between 2019 and 2021. Taiwan has now surpassed Vietnam to claim the fifth spot among the top sending countries of international students to the US.

India and China together accounted for more than half of all international students in the US.

The annual report, released jointly by the Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and the non-profit Institute of International Education, 1  defines international students as those enrolled in a US higher education institution or participating in Optional Practical Training (OPT).   

OPT is a temporary employment program that allows foreign students to gain work experience in their field of study.

The largest group of Taiwanese students in the 2023-2024 academic year, comprising 43.1%, were enrolled in graduate programs, making Taiwan the eighth largest source of graduate students. Another 24% of Taiwanese students were enrolled in undergraduate programs, while 28% participated in OPT programs, a 27.4% increase that places Taiwan as the fourth largest source of international OPT students. Additionally, 4.5% of Taiwanese students were enrolled in non-degree programs, a 22.8% increase from the previous year.

The release of the Open Doors Report is part of the annual International Education Week, a joint initiative of the Department of State and the US Department of Education to promote international educational exchange.

To promote study in the US, US institutions have organized various events in Taiwan throughout the week, including seminars, virtual education fairs, and a six-part video series featuring Taiwanese students and professionals studying or working in the US.

According to Taiwan's Ministry of Education, a total of 56,798 Taiwanese students studied abroad during the 2022-2023 academic year. Of these, 26,082 chose to study in the Americas, with 21,834 in the US and 4,240 in Canada. Additionally, 11,161 Taiwanese students studied in Oceania, primarily Australia, while 10,673 studied in Europe.

In Asia, 8,710 Taiwanese students studied abroad, with 5,015 in Japan and 2,172 in South Korea. China was not included among the Asian countries listed.

The ministry noted that student numbers for each country were derived from slightly different statistical periods between 2021 and last year, with most being collected in 2022 and last year, and numbers were collected individually by each country.

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