Ohio named a top 10 destination in U.S. for international students

Wright State provost Tom Sudkamp speaks during an international student even at Wright State last year.

Wright State provost Tom Sudkamp speaks during an international student even at Wright State last year.

The state of Ohio is one of the most popular destinations for international students in the United States, a new report out today shows.

The state ranks No. 8 in the country for its population of international students, according to an annual “Open Doors” report from the International Institute of Education.

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Ohio welcomed around 38,680 foreign students during the 2016-2017 school year, the report shows. The number of international students studying in Ohio last school year accounts for a 2.5 percent increase over the 2015-2016 year.

Michigan came in just behind Ohio at No. 9 with 34,296 international students and Indiana rounded out the top 10 with 30,600, according to the report. California was the top ranked destination in the U.S., with more than 156,000 students.

Ohio State University was also named one of the top colleges for international students in the country. The school ranked No. 17 with 7,684 foreign students. New York University took the top spot with more than 17,000, the report shows.

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Recruiting international students has become a big focus for area universities. Schools such as Wright State and the University of Dayton have struggled to keep up with the competition in recent years while Miami University has an increase in international students.

International students are not eligible for federal financial aid and typically pay full price for tuition meaning they can provide a big financial boost for colleges. Foreign students have a more than $1.1 billion impact on Ohio's economy alone, a 2016 Dayton Daily News investigation found.

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