Analyzing Study Abroad Trends
When choosing what college to attend, Northeastern’s principle of experiential learning won me over. I’ve always believed that to learn is to do, and so much of that “doing” can only happen in the real world, outside a classroom. I so looked forward to popping the bubble that was my little town in Illinois, but sure enough, the year I graduated, COVID came around and so my NUin experience turned in to NUin Boston.
While moving to Boston for my first semester was still a great experience, I was thrilled when I was finally study abroad during my third year. I had done Northeastern’s first stage of “experiential learning”, which was my first co-op and was ready to explore the world. I chose to move to Copenhagen, which was a remarkable experience.
I had never even been to Europe before so it was a major change. But I truly wanted to push myself and see if I could reach my full potential. I wanted to truly immerse myself in a new culture and not only learn about that place, but in turn, learn about myself. I can absolutely say study abroad did that for me. I am more worldly, independent, and culturally aware. I’ve changed fear of the unknown for excitement and opportunity. Ever since moving across the world alone, my minor day-to-day inconveniences are so much easier to navigate. I learned to care less about my grades and more about my learning and understanding of the world around me. I learned to let go a little. I truly grew into adulthood over my six months abroad.
On a personal level, I know how important study abroad is to a well-rounded education, particularly for college students who are navigating the shift from adolescence to adulthood. Because of COVID, I missed out on my prom and my high school graduation, but I feel grateful that I missed that over my study abroad experience. I feel for my friends that missed that opportunity because when else can you take time like that for self and world-exploration? I also worry for future college students. Visas are being taken away from international students looking to come to the US. Will the reverse become true? In a country that’s administration is increasingly cutting itself off from the rest of the world, a global education is crucial.
Using data from the Institute of International Education’s Open Doors Study Abroad dataset, this project explores how U.S. student participation in study abroad programs has changed between the 2021/22 and 2022/23 academic years. These numbers are particularly interesting as they document the post-COVID shift into “normalcy.” They were also particularly interesting to me because I am a number in this dataset as a 2023 study abroad alumni. In a series of charts, I break down where students studied abroad during these years, the universities they came from, and which countries saw the biggest growth.
As a student at Northeastern University, where global education is central to the academic experience, I was especially curious to see how national patterns reflect or diverge from our school’s own emphasis on international learning. These findings may be helpful to students considering where to study abroad, institutions developing international programs, or anyone interested in how global mobility is bouncing back.
Where in the World Are Students Going?
This interactive map shows where U.S. students studied abroad by region in 2022/23. Western Europe is the dominant destination, with the vast majority of students choosing programs in countries like Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom.
What Countries Saw the Largest Growth?
This side-by-side bar chart compares the top study abroad destinations for U.S. students in 2021/22 and 2022/23. Japan experienced one of the most dramatic increases, with participation jumping 113.1% from 4,531 to 9,652 students. This surge likely reflects Japan’s slower reopening after the pandemic and perhaps increased student interest in East Asian culture. New Zealand saw even more significant growth, with a 142.6% increase in students. I wonder if that has anything to do with the country’s response to the pandemic.
Nearly all major destinations experienced double-digit growth, underscoring students’ readiness to explore the world after COVID. While Europe remains dominant, the rapid growth in Asia and Oceania suggests that student interest is also diversifying.
Which Universities Are Sending the Most Students Abroad?
This chart highlights the U.S. universities sending the largest number of students abroad. New York University leads the pack, but I’m proud to see Northeastern on this list! Northeastern University continues to expand its global learning opportunities which I think has led to its success as a university in the last few years.
Method & Data Source
This analysis uses data from the Open Doors U.S. Study Abroad Data, provided by the Institute of International Education. I focused on the 2021/22 and 2022/23 academic years to compare recent trends in participation and destination popularity. I calculated percent change between years for the top destinations and used Tableau to create interactive and comparative visualizations. Minor formatting and rounding were applied to improve clarity in labels and color scaling.
