I’m a firm believer that information is the key to financial freedom. On the Stilt Blog, I write about the complex topics — like finance, immigration, and technology — to help immigrants make the most of their lives in the U.S. Our content and brand have been featured in Forbes, TechCrunch, VentureBeat, and more.
See all posts Frank GogolLargest F1 Schools and How COVID-19 is Affecting Them
Updated on August 25, 2024
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The F-1 visa is a popular visa allowing students from all over the world to study in the great U.S. It provides a chance for students to discover a world beyond their local borders. It offers an opportunity for many to build a better life. 2020 has, however, been an unusual year for F-1 students – especially in light of the unique impact the coronavirus has had on this group.
Below we’ll give an overview of the most popular schools in the U.S. that enroll the most international students and take a look at how the coronavirus has uniquely impacted this group of visa holders.
Top 5 Schools with the Most International Students
Let’s take a look at the top 5 schools that enroll the most international students on an annual basis.
1. The New School
The New School isn’t all that “new”, being founded in 1919 as The New School for Social Research.
- The New School is situated in the vibrant New York City.
- Its original mission was dedicated to intellectual inquiry and academic freedom with a purpose to be a home for progressive thinkers.
- The New School enrolls over 10 000 students each year.
2. Florida Institute of Technology
The Florida Institute of Technology was established in September 1958 as a private nonprofit doctoral/research university based in Melbourne, Florida.
- Florida Tech boasts four academic colleges, being Engineering & Science, Aeronautics, Psychology & Liberal Arts, and Business.
- It enrolls over 6000 students annually, with about 580 academic staff.
- Florida Tech was listed as the number 1 Best National University by the U.S. News and World Report. It was also listed under the 50 top southern U.S. universities by Wallstreet Journal.
3. University of Rochester
The University of Rochester is situated in Rochester, New York.
- The University was established in 1850 as a private research university.
- It houses over 200 academic majors in 158 buildings.
- Many of the University of Rochester’s faculties have achievements of note. The Eastman School of Music ranks first among U.S. undergraduate music schools, for example.
- Rochester enrolled over 12 000 students in the 2019 academic year (approximately 6,800 undergraduates and 5,000 graduate students).
4. Carnegie Mellon University
The Carnegie Mellon University boasts in its diversity of students and faculty.
- The University is a private research university based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
- It was established in 1900 by Andrew Carnegie. In 1967 it merged with the Mellon Institute.
- Carnegie Mellon has had many former names, including Carnegie Technical Schools and Carnegie Institute of Technology.
- As part of its boast in diversity, the University enrolls over 14 000 students representing over 100 countries. It also has about 1300 faculty members representing over 50 countries.
- The U.S. News and World Report have listed it in the top 5 schools for Computer Science, Information and Technology Management, and College of Engineering. The Hollywood Reporter also listed it as the number one Drama School in 2018.
5. Boston University
Boston University was established in 1839 in Boston, Massachusetts.
- Boston has approximately 3 900 faculty members.
- It enrolls over 33 000 students yearly (34 262 in 2018), with it being split about equal between graduate and undergraduate students.
- You can study various bachelor’s degrees at Boston, including dental, medical, business, and law degrees.
- The University has two urban campuses that host 18 schools and colleges.
Top 100 Schools with the Most International Students
Below is a chart showing the top 100 schools with the most international students.
| SCHOOL | LOCATION | INTERNATIONAL |
|---|---|---|
| The New School | New York, NY | 31% |
| Florida Institute of Technology | Melbourne, FL | 28% |
| University of Rochester | Rochester, NY | 27% |
| Carnegie Mellon University | Pittsburgh, PA | 22% |
| Boston University | Boston, MA | 21% |
| Brandeis University | Waltham, MA | 20% |
| New York University | New York, NY | 20% |
| University of California--San Diego | La Jolla, CA | 19% |
| Andrews University | Berrien Springs, MI | 18% |
| Illinois Institute of Technology | Chicago, IL | 18% |
| Northeastern University | Boston, MA | 18% |
| University of California--Davis | Davis, CA | 17% |
| University of California--Irvine | Irvine, CA | 17% |
| Columbia University | New York, NY | 16% |
| Emory University | Atlanta, GA | 16% |
| University of Tulsa | Tulsa, OK | 16% |
| University of Washington | Seattle, WA | 16% |
| Cardinal Stritch University | Milwaukee, WI | 15% |
| Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | Troy, NY | 15% |
| University at Buffalo--SUNY | Buffalo, NY | 15% |
| University of Illinois--Urbana-Champaign | Champaign, IL | 15% |
| University of Miami | Coral Gables, FL | 15% |
| Case Western Reserve University | Cleveland, OH | 14% |
| Georgetown University | Washington, DC | 14% |
| Miami University--Oxford | Oxford, OH | 14% |
| Purdue University--West Lafayette | West Lafayette, IN | 14% |
| Stony Brook University--SUNY | Stony Brook, NY | 14% |
| Syracuse University | Syracuse, NY | 14% |
| University of Chicago | Chicago, IL | 14% |
| University of San Francisco | San Francisco, CA | 14% |
| Pepperdine University | Malibu, CA | 13% |
| University of California--Berkeley | Berkeley, CA | 13% |
| University of Pennsylvania | Philadelphia, PA | 13% |
| University of Southern California | Los Angeles, CA | 13% |
| Clark University | Worcester, MA | 12% |
| Harvard University | Cambridge, MA | 12% |
| Lindenwood University | St. Charles, MO | 12% |
| Pennsylvania State University--University Park | University Park, PA | 12% |
| Princeton University | Princeton, NJ | 12% |
| Rice University | Houston, TX | 12% |
| University of Bridgeport | Bridgeport, CT | 12% |
| University of California--Los Angeles | Los Angeles, CA | 12% |
| University of California--Santa Barbara | Santa Barbara, CA | 12% |
| Arizona State University--Tempe | Tempe, AZ | 11% |
| Brown University | Providence, RI | 11% |
| Cornell University | Ithaca, NY | 11% |
| Drexel University | Philadelphia, PA | 11% |
| George Washington University | Washington, DC | 11% |
| Johns Hopkins University | Baltimore, MD | 11% |
| Robert Morris University | Moon Township, PA | 11% |
| Seattle University | Seattle, WA | 11% |
| Tufts University | Medford, MA | 11% |
| University of Massachusetts--Boston | Boston, MA | 11% |
| Yale University | New Haven, CT | 11% |
| Duke University | Durham, NC | 10% |
| Loyola Marymount University | Los Angeles, CA | 10% |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Cambridge, MA | 10% |
| Michigan State University | East Lansing, MI | 10% |
| Pace University | New York, NY | 10% |
| Stanford University | Stanford, CA | 10% |
| Texas Wesleyan University | Fort Worth, TX | 10% |
| University of Oregon | Eugene, OR | 10% |
| University of Wisconsin--Madison | Madison, WI | 10% |
| Wake Forest University | Winston-Salem, NC | 10% |
| American University | Washington, DC | 9% |
| California Institute of Technology | Pasadena, CA | 9% |
| Dartmouth College | Hanover, NH | 9% |
| Fordham University | New York, NY | 9% |
| Gannon University | Erie, PA | 9% |
| Georgia Institute of Technology | Atlanta, GA | 9% |
| Indiana University--Bloomington | Bloomington, IN | 9% |
| Lehigh University | Bethlehem, PA | 9% |
| Morgan State University | Baltimore, MD | 9% |
| Northwestern University | Evanston, IL | 9% |
| Ohio State University--Columbus | Columbus, OH | 9% |
| Rutgers University--New Brunswick | Piscataway, NJ | 9% |
| University of Connecticut | Storrs, CT | 9% |
| University of Nebraska--Lincoln | Lincoln, NE | 9% |
| University of San Diego | San Diego, CA | 9% |
| Vanderbilt University | Nashville, TN | 9% |
| Worcester Polytechnic Institute | Worcester, MA | 9% |
| Barry University | Miami Shores, FL | 8% |
| Binghamton University--SUNY | Binghamton, NY | 8% |
| Boston College | Chestnut Hill, MA | 8% |
| Concordia University Wisconsin | Mequon, WI | 8% |
| Dallas Baptist University | Dallas, TX | 8% |
| Southern Methodist University | Dallas, TX | 8% |
| University of California--Santa Cruz | Santa Cruz, CA | 8% |
| University of Colorado--Denver | Denver, CO | 8% |
| University of Detroit Mercy | Detroit, MI | 8% |
| University of Minnesota--Twin Cities | Minneapolis, MN | 8% |
| Florida International University | Miami, FL | 7% |
| Oregon State University | Corvallis, OR | 7% |
| Rochester Institute of Technology | Rochester, NY | 7% |
| San Diego State University | San Diego, CA | 7% |
| Tennessee State University | Nashville, TN | 7% |
| Texas Southern University | Houston, TX | 7% |
| University of California--Merced | Merced, CA | 7% |
| University of Denver | Denver, CO | 7% |
COVID-19 and International Students
Coronavirus has had a severe impact on everyone around the world, but F-1 students are facing a unique set of challenges.
F1 Visa Holders and COVID-19
Out of all visa holders, F-1 students are probably most severely impacted by COVID-19. More than 26% of U.S. college students are F-1 visa holders. Unfortunately, not much care has been taken to accommodate these students with coronavirus measures taken by their schools. Unlike American students, most F-1 students don’t have a home or family in the U.S. they can go to once their school closes due to COVID-19. Many students who also planned to travel back to their home country during this time can’t go due to the COVID-19 travel bans.
Not only are many F-1 students left stranded, but they are also suffering financially due to COVID-19 school closures. Students studying on F-1 student loans might not be able to graduate by their planned graduation date, which means their studies will be extended. Many F-1 students will have to borrow additional funds to cover this extension. They’ll also have to pay back their
COVID-19 Distance Learning
The great news is still that distance learning is an option for F-1 students. You can attend online courses to ensure you don’t fall too far behind in your classes.
As an F-1 student, you should, however, ensure you adhere to the rules regarding online courses. There are limits to the number of online distance learning that any F1 visa student can make use of.
As an F-1 student, you may only enroll in one online course or distance education course without the physical oversight of a school employee. Or you can enroll in a three-credit alternative. This applies to the full course of study per academic term. If your classes can be monitored and proctored by an employee from your school, you can enroll in more classes and still maintain your status.
Note, if you are part of an English language program or if you are an M-1 student, distance-learning or online education isn’t counted towards a full course of study.
International Student Insurance and COVID-19
Coronavirus doesn’t only impact F-1 students’ studies. Of course, it could also impact F-1 students’ health.
Fortunately, as part of the coronavirus relief plan, all health insurance providers have to pay for coronavirus testing. So, if you have international student health insurance, your health insurance plan will cover COVID-19 testing. It also has to cover your visit to the doctor in the process.
Many international student health insurance plans also cover coronavirus treatment, but the specifics will depend on your specific plan policy. You need to check your policy and read the details carefully to see how much of the treatment your plan will cover. Also, take note of whether you have fixed coverage or comprehensive coverage. With fixed coverage, there is only a fixed amount your health insurance plan will pay for a specific procedure irrespective of what the total cost of the procedure is. With comprehensive coverage, your health insurance plan pays a certain percentage of the total cost of your procedure or treatment.
Conclusion
Despite the coronavirus, there are still many opportunities for F-1 students in the U.S. Students currently enrolled in school on an F-1 just face unique challenges in the current world pandemic. Yet, it doesn’t have to be the end of the road.
Plan ahead and do what you can to cope with the situation. Make use of distance learning as much as possible – just make sure you stay in the rules of your F-1 visa while doing so.
Frank Gogol
I’m a firm believer that information is the key to financial freedom. On the Stilt Blog, I write about the complex topics — like finance, immigration, and technology — to help immigrants make the most of their lives in the U.S. Our content and brand have been featured in Forbes, TechCrunch, VentureBeat, and more.