With nearly 4,000 accredited institutions of higher education in the US, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed when choosing a university.
Many turn to Google, looking up the likes of “top-ranking US universities,” “best business schools in the US,” “cheapest schools in the US,” or the general “best US universities for international students.”
While the first three searches (and anything similar) will lead to rather straightforward results backed by stats and rankings, the last one might leave you stumped.
After all, what are you even looking for when you ask for the “best US universities for international students”?
There’s more that goes into deciding what the best US universities for international students are aside from their ranks. Source: AFP
What we generally mean when we talk about ‘best’ universities
When we tack on the word “best” for any education-related searches, we think about the university and programme rankings, their impact on the world, and their graduate outcomes.
Take the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, for example. The undisputed best-ranked university in the world — at least for now — is where researchers and graduates triple the lifetime of bridges and other structures and identify several new potential drug targets for Alzheimer’s that have never been linked to the disease before.
And if we’re talking about great graduate outcomes, those at MIT have little to worry about. In 2024, 44% of undergraduates had jobs after graduation, while the remaining 49% went straight to graduate school. The destinations? MIT aside, other highly-ranked universities are common, like Caltech, Columbia, Cornell, Harvard, Princeton, and Stanford.
We’re sure, however, that you’re not here for this.
The best US universities for international students are the ones that make you feel like you’re welcomed without condition. Source: AFP
The best US universities for international students, explored
Apart from rankings, impact, and graduate outcomes, there are more things that international students, in particular, should look out for.
The biggest consideration of them all? How welcomed you’ll be at the university.
According to data from the National Centre for Education Statistics (NCES), New York University (NYU) hosted the most international students in the 2023-24 academic year, with 49,847 making up 37% of the overall student population. Meanwhile, Illinois Tech boasted the highest percentage of international students overall, with its 6,571 foreign students making up 51% of the overall student body.
It begs the question: what draws this volume of international students to these two schools?
“Obviously, for all the professional opportunities that New York City offers, but also for the global aspect,” says Pedro Tenreiro from Venezuela on his decision to study at NYU. “Being at a global university complements your academic and professional achievements in the city because it builds you to be a person who has much more perspective.”
Many others at NYU echo the same: choosing NYU means being able to access and take advantage of the university’s location and unique international exposure to the school’s three degree-granting campuses in New York, Abu Dhabi, and Shanghai, as well as 13 global academic centres abroad and in the US.
But for Tenreiro, it’s the people that made all the difference.
“I came out in my freshman year and NYU really gave me the strength I needed to find myself and be publicly comfortable with who I am,” says Tenreiro. “The main reason why I was able to accept myself and be open about it is that the community at NYU is so accepting and appreciative of honesty. The people that I’ve met here and their ability to be sincere with themselves really gave me that strength and it is one of the best decisions I have ever made besides coming to NYU.”
Meanwhile, there are various reasons why international students chose Illinois Tech, but for Taiwanese student Simon Hwang, it was the abundance of resources available.
“From building an electric race car from the ground up to operating one of the world’s first portable MRI machines, Illinois Tech offers opportunities in various fields to match individual passions,” says Hwang.
Like Tenreiro, however, Hwang was also pleasantly surprised by what else the university had to offer.
“Illinois Tech focuses on providing the necessary resources, support, and opportunities for every student to succeed and grow,” says Hwang. “Whether in the classroom or during student organisation meetings, there’s always a welcoming atmosphere and support from both faculty and fellow students. If you want a college experience that’s both challenging and rewarding, Illinois Tech is definitely the place to be.”
Ultimately, these two stories highlight this: that for your international student experience to go beyond just receiving an education, you’ll want to feel welcomed and wanted by the school too.
How US universities make their international students feel welcomed
Imagine getting delivered a piece of traditional mail to welcome you to the school — that’s how the best US universities for international students stand out from the rest. Source: AFP
Setting the tone for the rest of your time at university
At the University of Michigan, where 48,167 international students were enrolled during the 2023-24 academic year, welcoming students, regardless of their country of origin, starts with an email:
“We are so glad that you are a part of our Michigan community. At the University of Michigan, we strive to create a campus environment where everyone feels welcome, safe, and empowered to live, work, and learn. We seek to create a place where our discussions are inclusive and welcoming to differing viewpoints. This challenges our way of thinking and helps us grow.”
The email goes on to highlight the expectations the university holds for its students, including the programmes and resources available to support them in their journey.
As a sign off, Martino Harmon, the Vice President for Student Life, writes: “Remember that you are not alone in this remarkable adventure; the entire U-M community, including faculty, staff, and your fellow students, is here to support and encourage you. You belong here.”
There’s a similar story from Andrea Suazo Rivas, who attended Grinnell College in Iowa because she “felt so welcome.”
In Rivas’s words, Grinnell found her instead of the other way around. Hailing from Honduras, she was shocked when she found an email from the college she had never heard of asking her to apply. After checking it out, Rivas gave Grinnell a chance – and they kept the momentum going, this time by sending Rivas snail mail, the first she’s ever received.
“Honduras doesn’t have a good mail system, but Grinnell somehow figured it out,” says Rivas. “No other college did that. That was exciting to me, and it made me feel so special. I felt like an individual and not just another number to them.”
The best US universities for international students have plenty of programmes to help you make your transition into higher education easier. Source: Pexels
Year-long inclusion programmes
One of the best US universities for international students is Carnegie Mellon University (CMU). All students, including the 14,517 international students who make up 44% of the student body, are thoroughly supported by the Centre for Student Diversity and Inclusion.
The centre is also where you’ll find the ORIGINS Experience, a year-long inclusion programme open to all students, focusing on community building and leadership development that begins a few days before First-Year Orientation.
In the programme, you’ll be immersed in a community-centred environment, exposing you to resources and opportunities for networking and development at CMU, and building your sense of belonging as an active member of the CMU community.
At Alabama’s Auburn University, you’ll find the First Year Seminars a great form of academic support during, well, your first year at the university.
These credit hour-guaranteed seminars help new students acclimate to university life through learning about the opportunities for involvement on campus and in the local community, the soft skills vital to college success, the academic and personal resources on Auburn’s campus, as well as various career development and networking opportunities.
The best US universities for international students have dedicated support just for you. Source: AFP
International student-specific career support
Naturally, the best US universities for international students will have many forms of support provided, but some go above and beyond that too.
The Georgia Institute of Technology does this through the International Student Professional Development Series.
Offered by the Office of International Education in partnership with not one, not two, not three, but four separate organisations within the university (the Centre for Career Discovery and Development, the Communication Centre, the Student Alumni Association and the Advanced Technology Development Centre), the series helps international students during their career journey from start to end.
This includes helping them develop the professional skills required in today’s job market, explore the employment opportunities available to international students while a Georgia Tech student and after graduation, determine how international students can take advantage of F-1/J-1 employment benefits, and learn about other employment-based visa categories.
Georgia Tech isn’t the only one with this dedicated support – Brown University’s Centre for Career Exploration.
At Brown, you’ll get access to Peer Career Advisors, Graduate Career Fellows, and Career Counsellors, as well as Interstride, an integrated platform to support international students and graduates with their career exploration, internship, and job search.
On top of that, the centre works closely with its university partners too, like Brown’s Office of International Student and Scholar Services, which can help you with immigration requirements and regulations that affect employment eligibility based on visa status, and the International Student Advising, which offers information sessions, workshops, and individual advising meeting.
There’s a big difference between being diverse and being inclusive, and the best US universities for international students know that well — that’s why they’re both. Source: AFP
Not just boasting diversity, but fostering inclusivity too
It’s easy to state that a university is welcoming of all students, regardless of race, gender, sexuality, or ability. However, the ability to act on it is what separates the average and the best US universities for international students.
One really good example?
When Junfeng Li, a class of 2023 graduate from The University of Texas at Austin’s Department of Radio-Television-Film and the then-President of the Chinese Students and Scholars Association, wrote an email inviting the university’s President Jay Hartzell to learn a sentence in Chinese for the upcoming Chinese New Year celebrations.
To Li’s surprise, the president did it – responding to his email and sending over the recording to wish students a Happy Chinese New Year. Li was touched, to say the least.
“When you see the president of your university not only accepting an invitation to a Chinese New Year event but trying to learn a sentence in your language, it’s just a wonderful gesture,” says Li. “That’s another level of support. It felt like the entire UT Austin community — faculty, staff and students — truly celebrated Chinese culture. I never expected him to even respond to my initial email. I share this story with a lot of my friends at other schools. They were just as surprised as I was.”
