Nigerians top list of African students studying in US in 2019

African Howard University students (left to right) Tamilore Ogunbanjo and Chibuike Agba, both from Nigeria.

By Victoria Ojeme, Abuja

New data released by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs shows that about 13,423 Nigerian students are currently studying in the US in the 2018/2019 academic session.

This number represents 33 percent of the overall African students in the U.S., making Nigeria the leading source of students from the continent and 11th largest country worldwide.

The new report indicates there was a 5.8 percent increase in the number of students from Nigeria who are currently studying in the U.S.

Nigerians are enrolled in more than 1,000 institutions in 51 states and territories in the United States, out of which 18 percent are studying in Texas. Nigerian students using EducationUSA services recorded $16 million in scholarships and financial aid awarded to newly admitted students for the 2019 academic year.

Globally, the number of international students in the U.S. set an all‐time high in the 2018/19 academic year, the fourth consecutive year with more than one million international students.

The total number of international students, 1,095,299, is a 0.05 percent increase over last year, according to the 2019 Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange.

Open Doors 2019, released today by the Institute of International Education (IIE) and the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, highlights the continued competitiveness of the U.S. higher education sector as a destination of choice for international students and the growing interest in international educational exchange among U.S. students.

The release of the new Open Doors data marks the celebration of International Education Week, a joint initiative of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education to prepare Americans for a global environment and attract future leaders from other countries to study, learn, and exchange experiences in the United States.

The Open Doors report is published annually by the Institute of International Education in partnership with the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.