International Students—Visa Status and Country of Origin

There are several different ways to define “International Students,” so caution should be exercised in using these data. Historically, Montgomery College categorizes any student who is not a U.S. Citizen as an International Student (n=7,288 this fall semester). Other agencies and organizations use different criteria; for example, the Institute of International Education defines a foreign student as “anyone who is enrolled in courses at institutions of higher education in the United States who is not a U.S. citizen, an immigrant (permanent resident), resident alien, or a refugee.” This definition (including applicants for such visa-types) would yield an International Student headcount at the College of 2,382. Finally, International Students are often considered those whose visa type is that of a “foreign student”—non-immigrant students on an F-1 visa whose primary purpose for coming to this country is to study at an institution of higher education. For Fall, 2004, Montgomery College enrolled 849 of these students.

The point here is that International Students are not easily categorized, and care should be taken in representing the International Student population at Montgomery College. This is not to understate, however, either the opportunities or the challenges afforded the College’s students, faculty, and staff by the presence of a substantial portion of the student body whose language, values, life experiences, and culture enrich the educational environment.

In any event, some 175 countries are represented by students enrolled in the Fall 2004 semester. Ethiopia, India, Cameroon, South Korea, and El Salvador were the top 5 countries represented.