Arizona State University fourth in US for number of international students

PHOENIX — Arizona State University has the fourth-largest international student body in the nation, a report said.

ASU — which has the largest number of international students among public institutions — trail only behind three private schools — New York University, the University of Southern California and Columbia University of New York — in the Institute of International Education’s report.

Kent Hopkins, vice president of ASU Enrollment Services, said administrators were encouraged by ASU President Michael Crow in 2011 to increase international enrollment.

“We were very vigilant in making sure his charge was accomplished,” Hopkins said. “We increased recruitment staff for international students, we strengthened our web presence. Much of our recruitment materials now are in native languages.”

ASU had about 5,000 international students in 2010. Five years later, that number is well over 11,000.

Hopkins said they’ve worked harder to attract undergraduates from foreign countries. That number has increased from 179 freshmen in the fall of 2009 to 1,100 freshmen in the fall of 2014.

Hopkins said they are attracted to several of the school’s features.

“Four hundred-plus majors, a diverse campus environment, the ability to learn here in the Valley and in the classroom; those are huge pluses for international students,” he said.

Over 35 percent of ASU’s international students are Chinese. India, Saudi Arabia, Brazil and South Korea round out the top five.