Augustana improves ranking for international student enrollment

Augustana College continues to climb the ranks among baccalaureate colleges for the number of international students it enrolls.

The federal 2020 Open Doors report ranks Augustana as 24th in the nation, up from 26th.

The student body currently is made up of 11.9% international students, up from 2.9% in 2015. Augustana is the only college in Illinois in the top 25 in the rankings. 

“Augustana’s commitment to international students is really a commitment to all of our students as we aspire to make sure our graduates are prepared to make their impact on a diverse and changing world,” said Kent Barnds, executive vice president for external relations. “It starts with us to make sure that the experience here reflects the world.”

The ranking is supported by continuing efforts to support and engage international students at Augustana. Augustana’s Office of International Student and Scholar Services (OISSS) provides dedicated support and mentors to students from all over the world. 

Through programming such as International Education Week, the International Street Fest, and International Student Orientation, students across campus take part in cross-cultural experiences. The OISSS also guides international students through services such as visa workshops and an international student alumni network. 

“Students seeking an education in the United States often don’t know where to begin. At Augustana, we work with families from Day One to establish a personal relationship with the college, and that extends throughout their time here.” said Liz Nino, executive director of International Enrollment. 

“They can sense from the beginning that they are more than a number here.”

Augustana ranks among schools like Grinnell, Denison, Colgate, and Skidmore on the Open Doors list.

The 2020 Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange showed the U.S. hosted more than one million international students (1,075,496) during the 2019-2020 academic year. Despite a slight decline (1.8%) in the number of international students in the U.S. that year, international students still represent 5.5% of all students in U.S. higher education.