A new study says that 8% fewer American students went to study in foreign lands during 2008 than the previous year. It’s the first drop in a quarter century, due no doubt to the economic downturn.
But there were other changes as well. The four most popular study destinations, England, Spain Italy and France, all welcomed fewer U.S. students, while China, the #5 country, gained in popularity. Other interesting statistics in the report from The Institute of International Education:
Peru was the top gainer, with 32% more visiting American students than the year before, followed by South Korea, Chile, Denmark, Argentina and The Netherlands.
Mexico was the top loser, showing a 26% falloff in U.S. students. Austria was the second biggest loser.
South American and Asian countries, in general, attracted more American students.
The full report is available for purchase here.