The number of Americans studying in Iceland increased 52.9 percent from the previous year, according to the latest Open Doors Report from the Institute of International Education (IIE) and the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational Affairs. More than 1,000 Americans studied in Iceland in 2017, nearly quadruple the total from 2011, according to the report.
The number of Icelanders studying in the United States increased 2.5 percent in 2018, the second consecutive annual increase. The number of Icelandic students in the United States has increased 7.8 percent since 2016, according to the report.
The number of overall international students in the United States surpassed one million for the third consecutive year, increasing by 1.5 percent to reach a new high of 1,094,792 million, according to the report. The United States remains the top host of international students globally. International students made a significant financial impact on the United States in 2017, contributing $42.4 billion to the U.S. economy through tuition, room and board, and other expenses, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce.
“International students studying alongside Americans are a tremendous asset to the United States,” said Marie Royce, Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs. “We need to develop leaders in all fields who can take on our toughest challenges. We need people who can find solutions that keep us secure and make us more prosperous. We want to send a message that international education makes us stronger as a country.”
The U.S. Embassy in Reykjavik works closely with Education USA, a free educational advising service housed at the Fulbright Commission, to assist Icelanders interested in studying in the U.S. More information is available at www.fulbright.is
