The number of Bangladeshi students studying in the United States surged to an all-time high with more than 17,000 Bangladeshis currently enrolled in US institutions.
With the second-highest overall increase in the world, the current number of Bangladeshi students in the US represents a 26% increase from the previous academic year (2022-2023), according to the 2024 Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange.
This remarkable growth catapulted Bangladesh from the 13th to the 8th largest sender of international students to the United States — all within a single year, the US embassy in Dhaka said.
Over the past decade, the number of Bangladeshi students in the United States has grown by over 250%, surging from 4,802 in the 2013-2014 academic year to an impressive 17,099 in 2023-2024.
The US Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and the Institute of International Education jointly released the annual Open Doors Report, which records the number of international students at US universities and international students enrolled in pre-academic Intensive English Programs.
International student enrollment in the United States hit a record 1,126,690 in 2023/24, a 7% increase from the prior year.
Graduate students reached an all-time high of 502,291, up 8%, while those pursuing post-graduation practical work experience spiked 22%.
Community colleges also saw explosive growth, with enrollment up 13% to 59,315—the fastest growth rate in over 25 years.
In 2023, international students contributed over $50 billion to the United States and more than 368,000 jobs, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce.
"The United States remains deeply committed to fostering international education and student exchange, recognizing its pivotal role in driving innovation, strengthening economic growth, enhancing diplomacy, and bolstering national security."
The US Embassy, Dhaka is celebrating International Education Week 2024 by offering several virtual and in-person information sessions, plus conducting regional outreach sessions for Bangladeshi students and scholars, about the US higher education application process, different types of academic programs, funding/scholarship opportunities, and US government-sponsored academic and professional exchange programs.
EducationUSA, with a global network of over 430 advising centers in more than 175 countries and territories worldwide, is the official US government source for accurate, current, and comprehensive information about studying in the United States.
In Bangladesh, EducationUSA facilitates free access to information about study opportunities in the United States through advising centers located in different parts of the country.
Trained advisers from the six American Spaces listed below hold virtual and in-person information sessions and provide one-on-one and group advising services for students and parents, free of charge: The American Center, at the US Embassy, Baridhara, Edward M. Kennedy (EMK) Center in Gulshan, American Corner Chattogram, American Corner Rajshahi, American Corner Sylhet and Affiliated American Space Barisal.
Open Doors is a comprehensive information resource on international students and scholars studying or teaching at higher education institutions in the United States, and US students studying abroad for academic credit at their home colleges or universities.