UTSA international student enrollment increases nearly 16 percent

UTSA Main Campus (Photo by Mark McClendon)

By Sherrie Voss Matthews
International Media and Marketing Coordinator, Office of International Programs

(Nov. 12, 2010)--The number of international students attending UTSA this fall has increased 15.9 percent over last year. The 1,426 international students enrolled come from 84 countries.

The top 10 countries are India, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, China, South Korea, Taiwan, Turkey, Japan, Bangladesh and Canada. The number of international students coming to UTSA has steadily increased in the last decade; only 446 international students attended UTSA in 2000.

The extensive worldwide recruitment effort by the UTSA Intensive English Program (IES) has produced residual benefits for the growth of international students. Many students completing IES remain at UTSA, and later enroll and complete their higher education here.

"The international demographics of the attending students are one of the measures of a university's success in this current age of globalization," said Julius Gribou, UTSA executive vice provost and senior international officer. "These numbers show that UTSA has become a highly desirable choice for international students looking for somewhere to study and achieve a reputable college degree in the United States. This notable increase in the number of international students attending UTSA clearly demonstrates that UTSA is increasing our profile as a premier, research-focused university throughout the world."

Much of the recent growth can be attributed to increased interest of international students in UTSA master's and doctoral programs. There are now 634 graduate students, up from 454 last year. This includes students sponsored by UTSA, but away from campus and receiving optional practical training in their fields of study. Electrical engineering is the most popular course of study for international students with pre-business courses running a close second.

"We are pleased that an increasing number of international students are choosing UTSA," said Dorothy Flannagan, vice provost and dean of the UTSA Graduate School. "This trend is another indicator that UTSA's reputation as an excellent educational institution is continuing to grow."

Last month, the responsibility for providing international undergraduate admission services to international students interested in attending UTSA was moved from the Office of the Assistant Vice President for Admissions to the Office of International Programs.

For more information, visit the UTSA Office of International Undergraduate Admissions in Main Building Room 1.210 on the Main Campus or call 210-458-7995.