Education

Number of Bangladeshi students in US reaches all-time high

Staff CorrespondentDhaka
Bangladeshi students with their family members form a human chain on University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee campus in USA on 10 October 2018.
Prothom Alo file photo

Number of Bangladeshi students studying in the United States reached all-time high in 2021-22, with 10,597 students choosing the North American country during this academic year, according to the 2022 Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange.

During the 2021-2022 academic year, Bangladesh advanced from 14th to 13th place in the list of countries sending international students to the United States.

The US embassy in Dhaka disclosed this information in a press release on Tuesday in celebration of International Education Week (IEW) on 14-18 November.

Over the past decade, the number of Bangladeshi students in the United States has more than tripled, increasing from 3,314 during the 2011-2012 academic year to 10,597 during the 2021-2022 academic year.

Shortly after independence, Bangladesh sent 480 students to the United States during the 1974-1975 academic year.

“The United States welcomes Bangladeshi students. From engaging in ground-breaking research to enriching campus life through cultural programs, Bangladeshi students continue to leave their mark across the United States. We are excited to see that more and more Bangladeshi students are choosing the United States,” said US ambassador Peter Haas.

The US Embassy is celebrating IEW 2022 by offering several virtual and in-person information sessions for Bangladeshi students and scholars about the US higher education application process, different types of academic programs, and funding/scholarship opportunities.

EducationUSA advising centres in Bangladesh will hold special sessions on topics, such as the unique benefits of a US liberal arts education and conduct in-person visits to local high schools and universities to meet with prospective students.

Session speakers will include US embassy officials, US college/university alumni, and US admissions officials who will discuss the application preparation process, scholarships and financial assistance, and US government-sponsored academic and professional exchange programs.

For more information, visit EducationUSA Bangladesh Facebook page or e-mail EducationUSA-Bangla@state.gov.

Every year, the US Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and the Institute of International Education jointly release the Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange.

The US remains committed to international education, including student mobility to and from the United States, as reiterated in the Joint Statement of Principles in Support of International Education by the US Departments of State and Education.

EducationUSA, with a global network of over 430 advising centres, 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 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 in Dhaka;

  • Edward M. Kennedy (EMK) Center for Public Service and the Arts located in Dhanmondi, Dhaka;

  • American Corner Khulna (at Northern University of Business and Technology, Khulna, Shib Bari More, Khulna);

  • American Corner Sylhet (at Sylhet International University, Shamimabad, Bagbari, Sylhet);

  • American Corner Rajshahi (at Varendra University, House No# 532, Jahangir Shoroni, TalaimariRajshahi); and

  • American Corner Chattogram (Note:  US embassy is currently providing virtual advising support with an EducationUSA advisor based in the division.  For more information, please contact chittagong@educationusa.org.)

Open Doors is a comprehensive information resource on international students and scholars studying or teaching at higher education institutes in the US, and US students studying abroad for academic credit at their home colleges or universities.

Open Doors also reports on the number of international scholars at US universities and international students enrolled in pre-academic Intensive English Programs. 

The annual report was released on Monday.

Additional information about the Open Doors 2022 report is posted on Open Doors’ website.

 For more information on International Education Week (IEW) please visit here.

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