U.S. Colleges Attracting More International Students

UNDATED - More and more students from around the world are coming to America to study.

The Institute of International Education says international enrollment grew nearly six-percent last year, driven by a 23-percent increase from China.  Much of the growth is concentrated at big Midwest schools.  Money is a big driving factor, with international students typically paying full out-of-state tuition, without financial aid.  A majority of the students are from China, India, South Korea, and Saudi Arabia.

The College of St. Benedict and St. John's University had a combined 268 international students last year.  That represents about six percent of their total student body.  The top three countries represented at St. Ben's and St. John's are China, The Bahamas, and Vietnam.

The numbers now from St. Cloud State University also mirror the national trends.  SCSU has 943 international students, which is about 5.7 percent of the total student enrollment.  The top three countries represented are: China, Nepal, and Saudi Arabia.