The Economic Impact of International Students on American Schools and Their Surrounding Communities

NAFSA (National Association of Foreign Student Advisors) recently released it's annual economic impact statement on the financial contributions that international students in USA make to the American economy - by their estimates, a staggering $18.8 BILLION dollars! The real number is probably far greater once "mulitpliers" are factored in. Click on this link to read NAFSA's 2009-2010 economic impact statement: http://www.nafsa.org/_/File/_/eis2010/usa.pdf

The NAFSA report provides schools struggling with ever-shrinking budgets with a reminder that their international student programs, from a purely financial perspective, should remain an important and well-funded part of their overall operating expenditures. Schools should also keep in mind that international students' financial contributions extend throughout the surrounding communities. At the very minimum, they fill vacant residential spaces and buy local goods and services, help create jobs, and increase spending power within the communities they live in.

For schools that are seeking to increase their international student enrollment in 2011 or merely to explore more cost-effective recruiting strategies, American Education Partners (AEP) can provide a variety of solutions. Contact AEP's School Outreach Team at: info@americanedpartners.com for more information.