Bangladeshi student count in US reaches all-time high

The number of Bangladeshi students in the United States (US) has reached an all-time high as a total of 13,563 students chose to study in the US during the 2022-2023 academic year.

The US embassy in Dhaka made the announcement on Tuesday, citing the 2023 Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange.

The current number of Bangladeshi students in the US represents a 28 per cent rise from the previous academic year and one of the highest overall increases in the world.

The number of Bangladeshi undergraduate students increased by more than 50 per cent, with 2,500 students enrolled in undergraduate (bachelor’s and associate degrees) studies.

Besides, nearly 10,000 Bangladeshi graduate students are now studying at US institutions, making Bangladesh seventh in the world for graduate student enrollment in the United States.

During the past decade, Bangladeshi students in the US have increased by more than 300 per cent, from 3,314 students during the 2011-2012 academic year to 13,563 students during the 2022-2023 academic year.

The US Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and the Institute of International Education jointly release the annual Open Doors Report, which records the number of international students at US universities and international students enrolled in pre-academic Intensive English Programmes. 

The total number of international students in the US surpassed one million and rebounded to near pre-pandemic levels. The 2022-2023 academic year was the fastest growth rate of international students studying in the US in four decades.

“We are excited to see that more and more Bangladeshi students are choosing the US for higher education study. From engaging in groundbreaking research to enriching campus life through cultural programmes, Bangladeshi students continue to make impressive achievements across US campuses.” said US ambassador Peter Haas.