International enrollment at the UA continues to grow in both the undergraduate and graduate student populations.
The UA exceeded 2,000 international undergraduates for the first time in the last academic year, bringing in a total of 2,062 students.
Combined with the 1,634 international graduate students enrolled, the UA had reached a total of 3,696 international students enrolled for the 2014-2015 academic year.
The number of international students enrolled at the UA has been on the rise over the past few years. From 2010-2014, total international enrollment increased from 2,585 to 3,696 students.
In fall 2014, a majority of the UA’s international students were enrolled from China, with 1,791 students. India came in second with 347 students. In third, came Saudi Arabia with 168 students enrolled.
In addition, the UA is comprised of international students from six continents and 112 different countries from around the world.
When admitting international students, one complication is evaluating them on an individualized scale.
Rachel Beech, the director for UA International Admissions, explained the admissions process and how it may vary with each student.
“The evaluation process is made more complicated in that we evaluate each transcript against the academic standard utilized by the country in which the coursework is taken,” Beech said. “That evaluation is then translated to a U.S. grading scale and reviewed for admissibility.”
According to a U.S. News and World Report, international students make up about 6 percent of the total UA student population.
This is less than at Arizona State University, where 9 percent of the student body is comprised of international students.
However, Beech explained the UA is looking forward to a change in the international population.
“The UA is planning to admit a growing number of international students to the institution in the future,” Beech said.
The university has also been strongly committed to forming and establishing more collaborative efforts among different international institutions around the world.
Several institutions at the UA have made efforts to become more involved internationally through the creation of unique study abroad opportunities for students.
Other programs at the UA, such as the Global Studies Initiative, have also helped international students learn and share their experiences at the UA.
Dr. Gail Burd, the senior vice provost for Academic Affairs, said these programs help foster learning and interest.
“These programs allow students to gain an interest in global outreach, while giving them the chance to learn from their peers,” Burd said.
The three UA programs with the most international students enrolled in fall 2014 are the Eller College of Management with 1,144 students, the College of Engineering at 665 students and the College of Science coming in at 609 students.
In regard to the total student population at the UA, Burd explained what the international students bring to the UA campus.
“I love our international students,” Burd said. “They bring a lot of diversity to the campus through their interactions with other students.”
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