’SC leads US universities in international students


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USC hosts the largest number of international students of any university for the 12th consecutive year, according to the annual Open Doors report released Monday by the Institute of International Education.

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign ranked second and Purdue University ranked third in the report.

The university accounts for 9,840 international students, according to the report. Director of the Office of International Services Tony Tambascia said that more than 115 different countries are represented at USC. The largest portion of the international population is from China with more than 3,770 students. India was the second largest group with 1,806 students. About 72 percent of the international population is enrolled in graduate-level programs, mostly in the Viterbi School of Engineering.

USC’s reputation in the Pacific Rim and its commitment to recruiting, supported by an expanding alumni base in large cities, has attracted a large number of Indian and Chinese students, according to USC officials.

“USC continues to attract the most talented and creative students from all over the world, a point of tremendous pride for our community,” USC President C. L. Max Nikias said in a press release. “USC’s international students arrive on our campuses with a broad range of experiences and perspectives, as well as extraordinary intellect and creativity. Their time at the university will remain with them for life, and our domestic students will learn about cultures outside their own. Throughout their lives, both groups of students will benefit from their professional connections.”

Tambascia added that USC helps international students adjust and thrive at the university.

“We also recognize that just enrolling large numbers of international students is not enough,” he said. “Great efforts are made to assist international students to make the most of their experience at USC, and to encourage them to take full advantage of the many ways to engage with other members of the university community, both inside and outside the classroom.”

According to the report, USC ranked ninth in the number of students who studied abroad during the 2011-2012 school year. About 2,065 USC students participated in study abroad programs during that year.

 

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