International students, including OPT
Mainland China → United States
Latest complete annual observation
265,919
2024/25 · International students, including OPT
Change since 2018/19
−103,629 (-28.0%)
Prior year: −11,479 (-4.1%)
Sources, definitions & limits
IIE Open Doors international students, including Optional Practical Training (OPT); standard temporary-visa population; excludes students enrolled online from outside the U.S.
IIE Open Doors · Open Doors 2025
Academic year ending shown. Counts are not departures. Open Doors 2021-2023 (2020/21-2022/23) expanded the population to coursework from outside the U.S. regardless of visa status; Open Doors 2024 returned to the pre-pandemic definition. These populations are not directly comparable.
Gaps stay gaps. Academic-year labels use their ending year on the axis; the 2019 baseline is 2018/19, not calendar 2019. Reporting-year UIS data are not physical-presence counts.
Complete data: All observations (CSV) · Data, definitions & sources (JSON)
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Standalone essay graphics, with titles and sources:
- Substack: Essay PNG (3000 px wide) · SVG
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Recent student estimates
Separate evidence for Americans studying in China—not an extension of the annual enrollment line. Dates identify the statement or publication, not a verified census date. “<” and “>” remain bounds.
Dated statements and one annual-participation estimate, not a harmonized enrollment census. Do not join them to the MOE annual degree/non-degree counts or academic-credit study-abroad line. Statement dates are not invented measurement dates. Bounds remain bounds, not exact point estimates.
| Reported on | Reported figure | Reference period | Primary statement |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-05-13 | 880 | Current figure in official post; archived reproduction | Official ambassador post, reproduced in its public-domain Wikimedia Commons record |
| 2025-04-15 | >1,100 | Figure described as current in the dated republication; exact measurement date unspecified | Nicholas Burns, firsthand commentary, licensed Economist republication in Mint |
| 2026-03-23 | <2,000 per year | Current annual participation estimate reported March 2026, not a measured calendar-2026 total | US–China Education Trust, original Working Group Report, March 2026 |
All estimates, bounds and sources · JSON · All estimates and bounds · CSV
What the numbers mean
Students are not departures. Enrolled-only counts, enrollment including OPT, degree mobility, and credit study abroad are separate populations. None is a border-crossing count.
Trips are not unique tourists. NTTO covers overnight visits and all purposes. Destination arrival series can include same-day visits. Leisure-only data are shown only when explicitly reported.
Trade follows exports. U.S. imports are partner → U.S. BEA uses balance-of-payments accounting. Macau goods use Comtrade customs data: exports FOB, imports CIF. Services exclude affiliate sales.
Comparisons use the pre-pandemic 2019 baseline. Missing, zero or incompatible 2019 observations do not produce a percentage change. Full annual history and prior-year changes provide context; no causal effect is claimed.
Compare mainland China, Hong Kong & Macau
International students, including OPT · To the United States
Same year range; separate vertical scales.
Mainland China
Chart notes
Sources: IIE Open Doors. IIE population expands in 2020/21–2022/23. Academic years use ending years. Includes Optional Practical Training (OPT). IIE: reuse permission unverified.
Download essay PNG / SVG
- The Margin of Error: Essay PNG (3000 px wide) · SVG
- Substack: Essay PNG (3000 px wide) · SVG
Hong Kong and Macau
Chart notes
Sources: IIE Open Doors. IIE population expands in 2020/21–2022/23. Academic years use ending years. Includes Optional Practical Training (OPT). IIE: reuse permission unverified.
Download essay PNG / SVG
- The Margin of Error: Essay PNG (3000 px wide) · SVG
- Substack: Essay PNG (3000 px wide) · SVG
Logarithmic view — useful when series differ greatly in size
Mainland China
Chart notes
Sources: IIE Open Doors. IIE population expands in 2020/21–2022/23. Academic years use ending years. Includes Optional Practical Training (OPT). IIE: reuse permission unverified.
Download essay PNG / SVG
- The Margin of Error: Essay PNG (3000 px wide) · SVG
- Substack: Essay PNG (3000 px wide) · SVG
Hong Kong and Macau
Chart notes
Sources: IIE Open Doors. IIE population expands in 2020/21–2022/23. Academic years use ending years. Includes Optional Practical Training (OPT). IIE: reuse permission unverified.
Download essay PNG / SVG
- The Margin of Error: Essay PNG (3000 px wide) · SVG
- Substack: Essay PNG (3000 px wide) · SVG
Exact values, definitions and unavailable series
Mainland China
Source: IIE Open Doors · Open Doors 2025. Latest: 2024/25.
| Period | Value | Status | Population definition |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999/00 | 54,466 | observed | IIE Open Doors international students, including Optional Practical Training (OPT); standard temporary-visa population; excludes students enrolled online from outside the U.S. |
| 2000/01 | 59,939 | observed | IIE Open Doors international students, including Optional Practical Training (OPT); standard temporary-visa population; excludes students enrolled online from outside the U.S. |
| 2001/02 | 63,211 | observed | IIE Open Doors international students, including Optional Practical Training (OPT); standard temporary-visa population; excludes students enrolled online from outside the U.S. |
| 2002/03 | 64,757 | observed | IIE Open Doors international students, including Optional Practical Training (OPT); standard temporary-visa population; excludes students enrolled online from outside the U.S. |
| 2003/04 | 61,765 | observed | IIE Open Doors international students, including Optional Practical Training (OPT); standard temporary-visa population; excludes students enrolled online from outside the U.S. |
| 2004/05 | 62,523 | observed | IIE Open Doors international students, including Optional Practical Training (OPT); standard temporary-visa population; excludes students enrolled online from outside the U.S. |
| 2005/06 | 62,582 | observed | IIE Open Doors international students, including Optional Practical Training (OPT); standard temporary-visa population; excludes students enrolled online from outside the U.S. |
| 2006/07 | 67,723 | observed | IIE Open Doors international students, including Optional Practical Training (OPT); standard temporary-visa population; excludes students enrolled online from outside the U.S. |
| 2007/08 | 81,127 | observed | IIE Open Doors international students, including Optional Practical Training (OPT); standard temporary-visa population; excludes students enrolled online from outside the U.S. |
| 2008/09 | 98,235 | observed | IIE Open Doors international students, including Optional Practical Training (OPT); standard temporary-visa population; excludes students enrolled online from outside the U.S. |
| 2009/10 | 127,628 | observed | IIE Open Doors international students, including Optional Practical Training (OPT); standard temporary-visa population; excludes students enrolled online from outside the U.S. |
| 2010/11 | 157,558 | observed | IIE Open Doors international students, including Optional Practical Training (OPT); standard temporary-visa population; excludes students enrolled online from outside the U.S. |
| 2011/12 | 194,029 | observed | IIE Open Doors international students, including Optional Practical Training (OPT); standard temporary-visa population; excludes students enrolled online from outside the U.S. |
| 2012/13 | 235,597 | observed | IIE Open Doors international students, including Optional Practical Training (OPT); standard temporary-visa population; excludes students enrolled online from outside the U.S. |
| 2013/14 | 274,439 | observed | IIE Open Doors international students, including Optional Practical Training (OPT); standard temporary-visa population; excludes students enrolled online from outside the U.S. |
| 2014/15 | 304,040 | observed | IIE Open Doors international students, including Optional Practical Training (OPT); standard temporary-visa population; excludes students enrolled online from outside the U.S. |
| 2015/16 | 328,547 | observed | IIE Open Doors international students, including Optional Practical Training (OPT); standard temporary-visa population; excludes students enrolled online from outside the U.S. |
| 2016/17 | 350,755 | observed | IIE Open Doors international students, including Optional Practical Training (OPT); standard temporary-visa population; excludes students enrolled online from outside the U.S. |
| 2017/18 | 363,341 | observed | IIE Open Doors international students, including Optional Practical Training (OPT); standard temporary-visa population; excludes students enrolled online from outside the U.S. |
| 2018/19 | 369,548 | observed | IIE Open Doors international students, including Optional Practical Training (OPT); standard temporary-visa population; excludes students enrolled online from outside the U.S. |
| 2019/20 | 372,532 | observed | IIE Open Doors international students, including Optional Practical Training (OPT); standard temporary-visa population; excludes students enrolled online from outside the U.S. |
| 2020/21 | 317,299 | observed | IIE Open Doors international students, including Optional Practical Training (OPT); expanded pandemic population includes coursework from outside the U.S. regardless of visa status |
| 2021/22 | 290,086 | observed | IIE Open Doors international students, including Optional Practical Training (OPT); expanded pandemic population includes coursework from outside the U.S. regardless of visa status |
| 2022/23 | 289,526 | observed | IIE Open Doors international students, including Optional Practical Training (OPT); expanded pandemic population includes coursework from outside the U.S. regardless of visa status |
| 2023/24 | 277,398 | observed | IIE Open Doors international students, including Optional Practical Training (OPT); standard temporary-visa population; excludes students enrolled online from outside the U.S. |
| 2024/25 | 265,919 | observed | IIE Open Doors international students, including Optional Practical Training (OPT); standard temporary-visa population; excludes students enrolled online from outside the U.S. |
Hong Kong
Source: IIE Open Doors · Open Doors 2025. Latest: 2024/25.
| Period | Value | Status | Population definition |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999/00 | 7,545 | observed | IIE Open Doors international students, including Optional Practical Training (OPT); standard temporary-visa population; excludes students enrolled online from outside the U.S. |
| 2000/01 | 7,627 | observed | IIE Open Doors international students, including Optional Practical Training (OPT); standard temporary-visa population; excludes students enrolled online from outside the U.S. |
| 2001/02 | 7,757 | observed | IIE Open Doors international students, including Optional Practical Training (OPT); standard temporary-visa population; excludes students enrolled online from outside the U.S. |
| 2002/03 | 8,076 | observed | IIE Open Doors international students, including Optional Practical Training (OPT); standard temporary-visa population; excludes students enrolled online from outside the U.S. |
| 2003/04 | 7,353 | observed | IIE Open Doors international students, including Optional Practical Training (OPT); standard temporary-visa population; excludes students enrolled online from outside the U.S. |
| 2004/05 | 7,180 | observed | IIE Open Doors international students, including Optional Practical Training (OPT); standard temporary-visa population; excludes students enrolled online from outside the U.S. |
| 2005/06 | 7,849 | observed | IIE Open Doors international students, including Optional Practical Training (OPT); standard temporary-visa population; excludes students enrolled online from outside the U.S. |
| 2006/07 | 7,722 | observed | IIE Open Doors international students, including Optional Practical Training (OPT); standard temporary-visa population; excludes students enrolled online from outside the U.S. |
| 2007/08 | 8,286 | observed | IIE Open Doors international students, including Optional Practical Training (OPT); standard temporary-visa population; excludes students enrolled online from outside the U.S. |
| 2008/09 | 8,329 | observed | IIE Open Doors international students, including Optional Practical Training (OPT); standard temporary-visa population; excludes students enrolled online from outside the U.S. |
| 2009/10 | 8,034 | observed | IIE Open Doors international students, including Optional Practical Training (OPT); standard temporary-visa population; excludes students enrolled online from outside the U.S. |
| 2010/11 | 8,136 | observed | IIE Open Doors international students, including Optional Practical Training (OPT); standard temporary-visa population; excludes students enrolled online from outside the U.S. |
| 2011/12 | 8,032 | observed | IIE Open Doors international students, including Optional Practical Training (OPT); standard temporary-visa population; excludes students enrolled online from outside the U.S. |
| 2012/13 | 8,026 | observed | IIE Open Doors international students, including Optional Practical Training (OPT); standard temporary-visa population; excludes students enrolled online from outside the U.S. |
| 2013/14 | 8,104 | observed | IIE Open Doors international students, including Optional Practical Training (OPT); standard temporary-visa population; excludes students enrolled online from outside the U.S. |
| 2014/15 | 8,012 | observed | IIE Open Doors international students, including Optional Practical Training (OPT); standard temporary-visa population; excludes students enrolled online from outside the U.S. |
| 2015/16 | 7,923 | observed | IIE Open Doors international students, including Optional Practical Training (OPT); standard temporary-visa population; excludes students enrolled online from outside the U.S. |
| 2016/17 | 7,547 | observed | IIE Open Doors international students, including Optional Practical Training (OPT); standard temporary-visa population; excludes students enrolled online from outside the U.S. |
| 2017/18 | 7,162 | observed | IIE Open Doors international students, including Optional Practical Training (OPT); standard temporary-visa population; excludes students enrolled online from outside the U.S. |
| 2018/19 | 6,917 | observed | IIE Open Doors international students, including Optional Practical Training (OPT); standard temporary-visa population; excludes students enrolled online from outside the U.S. |
| 2019/20 | 6,778 | observed | IIE Open Doors international students, including Optional Practical Training (OPT); standard temporary-visa population; excludes students enrolled online from outside the U.S. |
| 2020/21 | 5,878 | observed | IIE Open Doors international students, including Optional Practical Training (OPT); expanded pandemic population includes coursework from outside the U.S. regardless of visa status |
| 2021/22 | 5,848 | observed | IIE Open Doors international students, including Optional Practical Training (OPT); expanded pandemic population includes coursework from outside the U.S. regardless of visa status |
| 2022/23 | 5,867 | observed | IIE Open Doors international students, including Optional Practical Training (OPT); expanded pandemic population includes coursework from outside the U.S. regardless of visa status |
| 2023/24 | 5,627 | observed | IIE Open Doors international students, including Optional Practical Training (OPT); standard temporary-visa population; excludes students enrolled online from outside the U.S. |
| 2024/25 | 5,492 | observed | IIE Open Doors international students, including Optional Practical Training (OPT); standard temporary-visa population; excludes students enrolled online from outside the U.S. |
Macau
Source: IIE Open Doors · Open Doors 2025. Latest: 2024/25.
| Period | Value | Status | Population definition |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999/00 | 297 | observed | IIE Open Doors international students, including Optional Practical Training (OPT); standard temporary-visa population; excludes students enrolled online from outside the U.S. |
| 2000/01 | 372 | observed | IIE Open Doors international students, including Optional Practical Training (OPT); standard temporary-visa population; excludes students enrolled online from outside the U.S. |
| 2001/02 | 371 | observed | IIE Open Doors international students, including Optional Practical Training (OPT); standard temporary-visa population; excludes students enrolled online from outside the U.S. |
| 2002/03 | 385 | observed | IIE Open Doors international students, including Optional Practical Training (OPT); standard temporary-visa population; excludes students enrolled online from outside the U.S. |
| 2003/04 | 374 | observed | IIE Open Doors international students, including Optional Practical Training (OPT); standard temporary-visa population; excludes students enrolled online from outside the U.S. |
| 2004/05 | 383 | observed | IIE Open Doors international students, including Optional Practical Training (OPT); standard temporary-visa population; excludes students enrolled online from outside the U.S. |
| 2005/06 | 407 | observed | IIE Open Doors international students, including Optional Practical Training (OPT); standard temporary-visa population; excludes students enrolled online from outside the U.S. |
| 2006/07 | 388 | observed | IIE Open Doors international students, including Optional Practical Training (OPT); standard temporary-visa population; excludes students enrolled online from outside the U.S. |
| 2007/08 | 421 | observed | IIE Open Doors international students, including Optional Practical Training (OPT); standard temporary-visa population; excludes students enrolled online from outside the U.S. |
| 2008/09 | 429 | observed | IIE Open Doors international students, including Optional Practical Training (OPT); standard temporary-visa population; excludes students enrolled online from outside the U.S. |
| 2009/10 | 468 | observed | IIE Open Doors international students, including Optional Practical Training (OPT); standard temporary-visa population; excludes students enrolled online from outside the U.S. |
| 2010/11 | 497 | observed | IIE Open Doors international students, including Optional Practical Training (OPT); standard temporary-visa population; excludes students enrolled online from outside the U.S. |
| 2011/12 | 505 | observed | IIE Open Doors international students, including Optional Practical Training (OPT); standard temporary-visa population; excludes students enrolled online from outside the U.S. |
| 2012/13 | 533 | observed | IIE Open Doors international students, including Optional Practical Training (OPT); standard temporary-visa population; excludes students enrolled online from outside the U.S. |
| 2013/14 | 552 | observed | IIE Open Doors international students, including Optional Practical Training (OPT); standard temporary-visa population; excludes students enrolled online from outside the U.S. |
| 2014/15 | 573 | observed | IIE Open Doors international students, including Optional Practical Training (OPT); standard temporary-visa population; excludes students enrolled online from outside the U.S. |
| 2015/16 | 586 | observed | IIE Open Doors international students, including Optional Practical Training (OPT); standard temporary-visa population; excludes students enrolled online from outside the U.S. |
| 2016/17 | 605 | observed | IIE Open Doors international students, including Optional Practical Training (OPT); standard temporary-visa population; excludes students enrolled online from outside the U.S. |
| 2017/18 | 555 | observed | IIE Open Doors international students, including Optional Practical Training (OPT); standard temporary-visa population; excludes students enrolled online from outside the U.S. |
| 2018/19 | 558 | observed | IIE Open Doors international students, including Optional Practical Training (OPT); standard temporary-visa population; excludes students enrolled online from outside the U.S. |
| 2019/20 | 503 | observed | IIE Open Doors international students, including Optional Practical Training (OPT); standard temporary-visa population; excludes students enrolled online from outside the U.S. |
| 2020/21 | 422 | observed | IIE Open Doors international students, including Optional Practical Training (OPT); expanded pandemic population includes coursework from outside the U.S. regardless of visa status |
| 2021/22 | 394 | observed | IIE Open Doors international students, including Optional Practical Training (OPT); expanded pandemic population includes coursework from outside the U.S. regardless of visa status |
| 2022/23 | 360 | observed | IIE Open Doors international students, including Optional Practical Training (OPT); expanded pandemic population includes coursework from outside the U.S. regardless of visa status |
| 2023/24 | 408 | observed | IIE Open Doors international students, including Optional Practical Training (OPT); standard temporary-visa population; excludes students enrolled online from outside the U.S. |
| 2024/25 | 397 | observed | IIE Open Doors international students, including Optional Practical Training (OPT); standard temporary-visa population; excludes students enrolled online from outside the U.S. |
U.S. college students studying abroad
Same year range; separate vertical scales.
Mainland China
Chart notes
Sources: IIE Open Doors. Academic years use ending years. IIE: reuse permission unverified.
Download essay PNG / SVG
- The Margin of Error: Essay PNG (3000 px wide) · SVG
- Substack: Essay PNG (3000 px wide) · SVG
Hong Kong and Macau
Chart notes
Sources: IIE Open Doors. Academic years use ending years. IIE: reuse permission unverified.
Download essay PNG / SVG
- The Margin of Error: Essay PNG (3000 px wide) · SVG
- Substack: Essay PNG (3000 px wide) · SVG
Logarithmic view — useful when series differ greatly in size
Mainland China
Chart notes
Sources: IIE Open Doors. Academic years use ending years. IIE: reuse permission unverified.
Download essay PNG / SVG
- The Margin of Error: Essay PNG (3000 px wide) · SVG
- Substack: Essay PNG (3000 px wide) · SVG
Hong Kong and Macau
Chart notes
Sources: IIE Open Doors. Academic years use ending years. IIE: reuse permission unverified.
Download essay PNG / SVG
- The Margin of Error: Essay PNG (3000 px wide) · SVG
- Substack: Essay PNG (3000 px wide) · SVG
Exact values, definitions and unavailable series
Mainland China
Source: IIE Open Doors · Open Doors 2025. Latest: 2023/24.
| Period | Value | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 1999/00 | 2,949 | observed |
| 2000/01 | 2,942 | observed |
| 2001/02 | 3,911 | observed |
| 2002/03 | 2,493 | observed |
| 2003/04 | 4,737 | observed |
| 2004/05 | 6,389 | observed |
| 2005/06 | 8,830 | observed |
| 2006/07 | 11,064 | observed |
| 2007/08 | 13,165 | observed |
| 2008/09 | 13,674 | observed |
| 2009/10 | 13,910 | observed |
| 2010/11 | 14,596 | observed |
| 2011/12 | 14,887 | observed |
| 2012/13 | 14,413 | observed |
| 2013/14 | 13,763 | observed |
| 2014/15 | 12,790 | observed |
| 2015/16 | 11,688 | observed |
| 2016/17 | 11,910 | observed |
| 2017/18 | 11,613 | observed |
| 2018/19 | 11,639 | observed |
| 2019/20 | 2,481 | observed |
| 2020/21 | 382 | observed |
| 2021/22 | 211 | observed |
| 2022/23 | 469 | observed |
| 2023/24 | 1,749 | observed |
| 2024/25 | Not available | missing |
Hong Kong
Source: IIE Open Doors · Open Doors 2025. Latest: 2023/24.
| Period | Value | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 1999/00 | 342 | observed |
| 2000/01 | 470 | observed |
| 2001/02 | 501 | observed |
| 2002/03 | 458 | observed |
| 2003/04 | 487 | observed |
| 2004/05 | 748 | observed |
| 2005/06 | 915 | observed |
| 2006/07 | 1,059 | observed |
| 2007/08 | 1,093 | observed |
| 2008/09 | 1,155 | observed |
| 2009/10 | 1,196 | observed |
| 2010/11 | 1,033 | observed |
| 2011/12 | 1,474 | observed |
| 2012/13 | 1,401 | observed |
| 2013/14 | 1,596 | observed |
| 2014/15 | 1,508 | observed |
| 2015/16 | 1,612 | observed |
| 2016/17 | 1,641 | observed |
| 2017/18 | 1,859 | observed |
| 2018/19 | 2,314 | observed |
| 2019/20 | 543 | observed |
| 2020/21 | 32 | observed |
| 2021/22 | 120 | observed |
| 2022/23 | 259 | observed |
| 2023/24 | 485 | observed |
| 2024/25 | Not available | missing |
Macau
Source: IIE Open Doors · Open Doors 2025. Latest: 2023/24.
| Period | Value | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 1999/00 | 0 | observed |
| 2000/01 | 5 | observed |
| 2001/02 | 2 | observed |
| 2002/03 | 0 | observed |
| 2003/04 | 0 | observed |
| 2004/05 | 0 | observed |
| 2005/06 | 0 | observed |
| 2006/07 | 3 | observed |
| 2007/08 | 4 | observed |
| 2008/09 | 0 | observed |
| 2009/10 | 6 | observed |
| 2010/11 | 18 | observed |
| 2011/12 | 4 | observed |
| 2012/13 | 17 | observed |
| 2013/14 | 18 | observed |
| 2014/15 | 3 | observed |
| 2015/16 | 4 | observed |
| 2016/17 | 33 | observed |
| 2017/18 | 4 | observed |
| 2018/19 | 23 | observed |
| 2019/20 | 7 | observed |
| 2020/21 | 0 | observed |
| 2021/22 | 0 | observed |
| 2022/23 | 0 | observed |
| 2023/24 | 7 | observed |
| 2024/25 | Not available | missing |