Bangladeshi students in US at all time high, surpassing 17,000 

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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 United States represents a 26% increase from the previous academic year (2022-2023), according to the "2024 Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange", said an embassy release.

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. 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 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.  

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 by 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 US Department of Commerce. 

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 programmes, funding/scholarship opportunities, and US government-sponsored academic and professional exchange programmes, reads the release.

EducationUSA, with a global network of over 430 advising centres 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.