There are approximately over 560,000 foreign students currently studying in the United States. Recently this figure has dropped by 1%. However, the number of foreign students in the US is starting to increase following the initial decline that took place following the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. Some schools have already reported increases in the number of foreign students, while others have reported decreases. The number of foreign graduate students slightly increased in 2008. For the last six years, the number of foreign students has surpassed the half-million mark. The top five countries in 2004-2005 that sent the most international students to the United States included: India, China, the Republic of Korea, Japan and Canada. These top five countries also increased the number of foreign students they sent in those same years. India, China, the Republic of Korea, Japan and Canada together accounted for approximately half of all the foreign students studying in the US from 2004-2005. India alone sent slightly over 80,000 students while China sent more than 60,000 students. Korea had more than 50,000 of its students in the United States and Japan had more than 40,000. Finally, Canada had almost 30,000 students studying in the US. Thailand, Mexico, Turkey, Germany and Thailand also account for a large proportion of the foreign student population in the United States. Overall, the largest region worldwide that sends the greatest number of international students to the United States is Asia. In 2004-2005 they contributed more than half of all the foreign students, which is nearly 60% of the total foreign student population. Most foreign students come to the United States with a F-1 Student Visa.

International students in the U.S. contributed slightly more than $13 billion in 2004-2005. This amount was spent on a combination of living expenses, tuition and other costs. Schools polled international students regarding their primary sources of funding and found that nearly ¾ of foreign students relied on their own sources, such as their family and other sources that were not from the United States. From 2004-2005, the number of foreign students who mainly depended on their own resources increased by 1.5%, especially among undeargraduate international students. Higher education remains one of the top five U.S. exports when it comes to the service sector. Besides the monetary gain of having international students in the U.S., they also contribute in other ways. Foreigners add diversity which enhances the educational experience for all students. Furthermore, international students must also frequently maintain a high grade point average (GPA) in order to remain in the program. As such, their hard which sets a higher standard for all students. Bringing foreign students into the United States is seen as a way of starting to build future relationships and trading partners with individuals from a multitude of nations. The United States continues to attract among the smartest and brightest students from around the world, yet it has faced competition. Rising tuition costs in the US and competitive recruiting from other countries are among some of the reasons students choose to study in other countries besides the United States. Nonetheless, the United States still remains a country that attracts many foreign students.

In 1996 Congress introduced legislature requiring the introduction of a computerized system that would monitor foreign students in the United States and set January 1, 2003 as the deadline for full implementation. Following the terrorist attacks of 9/11, the new computerized system called SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information Sheet) was seen as a necessity and its implementation progressed more rapidly. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, which is under the Department of Homeland Security, is responsible for implementing SEVIS. SEVIS is a tracking system that allows the U.S. government to collect biographical data, program of study, and beginning and ending dates of the programs foreign students are taking part in. This type of information had been collected previously but is now being computerized and made easily accessible to state agencies. Schools also play a critical role in SEVIS as they are required to report any foreign students who have failed to register 30 days after the school’s deadline. The schools must also notify the Department of Homeland Security of other changes such as dropping below full-time status without first getting approval, early completion or lack of completion, address or name changes, and disciplinary problems among others.

With the recent election of President Barack Obama to serve as the nation's 44th President, economic analysts are predicting an increase in international students in the U.S. Reasons for the increase include diminishing anti-American sentiment, relaxed visa requirements, and cost. It is believed that the election of the Obama administration will help to lessen the negative perceptions of the United States that developed predominantly in response to the war in Iraq. In addition, with the expansion of the Visa Waiver program coupled with increasingly relaxed visa requirements for students, it is now less cumbersome to come to the United States to study. Cost also remains an important factor for international students, and for many, it is cheaper to study in the United States than other countries Moreover, while the U.S. is offering more relaxed visa requirements, other countries such as the UK are tightening visa requirements, making it even more difficult for potential students. Officials at UK universities have expressed concern over dwindling enrollment, as foreign students are a lucrative source of income, sometimes paying over $12,000 per year. However, even before the change in administration, the United States has noticed an increase in international students. In 2007, for example, 623,805 foreigners studied in the U.S., accounting for a 7 percent increase from 2006. Overall, it is estimated that foreign students constitute 10% of the total undergraduate population in the U.S.