Int.'l students increase in U.S.

America may be ready again to open its gates to huddled masses yearning to learn.

According to a report published in late August by the Washington D.C.-based Council of Graduate Students, offers of admission to international applicants by U.S. graduate programs is up by 8 percent over last year.

Yet the Council's report found that of the over 500 graduate programs surveyed, 78 percent still received fewer applications from international students than in 2003.

The mixed results mirror how recent years have been tough for U.S. graduate programs seeking talent from abroad.

According to Rodolfo Altamirano, Director of Penn's International Student and Scholar Services, the difficulties have been two-fold.

Not only did the U.S. government adopt more stringent regulations for U.S. study visas after the September 11 attacks, but programs in such countries as the U.K., Australia and other parts of Western Europe are more plentiful, and popular, than ever.

As a result, American universities have increasingly had to fight for international students.

Still, the recent report gives reason for hope.

Stuart Heiser, who manages external affairs at the Council of Graduate Students, said the recent rebound in admissions figures is partly due to measures that universities have taken to make the application process easier for international students.

These measures include making applications more readily available online, hiring more admissions staff and establishing more joint-degree programs with foreign universities.

As for immigration issues, Altamirano, whose office is responsible for obtaining student visas for admitted international students, said that "the impact was only seen at the beginning after 9/11," and that the past couple of years have seen a "surge" in international enrollment.

"It goes back to the importance of a U.S. education, the quality of the education," he added.

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