U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has released its 2024 Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) annual report, providing insights into the foreign student population in the United States. The report analyzes data from the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), a web-based platform used by the Department of Homeland Security to manage information on foreign students and exchange visitors.
The report reveals that there were 1,582,808 active F-1 and M-1 student records in SEVIS for 2024, marking a 5.3 percent increase from 2023. These students hail from over 229 countries and territories.
Asia accounted for the largest share of foreign student records in the U.S., with 1,134,953 students representing 71.7 percent of the total foreign student population. India saw an increase of 11.8 percent in student records to reach 422,335, while China experienced a slight decrease of 0.25 percent to 329,541.
California enrolled the highest number of foreign students at 237,763, followed by New York with 172,522.
Approximately 91 percent of all foreign students were enrolled in SEVP-certified programs leading to associate's, bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degrees. The total number of degrees pursued reached 1,434,748 in higher education—an increase of nearly 82,000 from the previous year—with bachelor's and master's degrees being the most sought after.
There was a decline in SEVP-certified schools eligible to enroll foreign students; there were 7,234 such schools in 2024 compared to 7,683 in the previous year.
In terms of work authorization through practical training programs like Optional Practical Training (OPT), STEM OPT (science, technology, engineering and math optional practical training), and Curricular Practical Training (CPT), there were a total of 381,140 unique SEVIS records for work authorization issued in various forms throughout the year.
The full report can be accessed online along with data from previous years. Both SEVP and the Department of State utilize SEVIS to maintain essential information that aids DHS in protecting national security while monitoring foreign students and exchange visitors.
ICE also examines SEVIS records for potential violations and refers cases with possible national security concerns for further investigation. Additionally, SEVP evaluates compliance with federal regulations related to studying in the United States.
