Open Doors report: ASU’s doors are open to the world
Students play “human BINGO” at an international welcome event in the Student Pavilion on ASU's Tempe campus on Aug. 16. Photo by Armand Saavedra/Arizona State University
For the fourth straight year, Arizona State University is being recognized as the top public university choice of international students by the Institute of International Education in its annual Open Doors report.
ASU has held the No. 1 spot among public universities for seven of the past nine years, and ranks ahead of UCLA, Purdue and the University of Texas.
Over the course of the past academic year, ASU was home to more than 17,600 international students from 160 countries pursuing bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees. The IIE Open Doors report also counts F-1 visa holders who are recent graduates on Optional Practical Training and STEM-OPT, bringing the Open Doors total for fall 2023 to 18,430 international students — a 2.5% increase over last year.
Study abroad
Also in the Open Doors report: ASU ranks No. 12 overall, and No. 10 for public universities, for the number of students who participate in a study abroad opportunity, ahead of UCLA, Penn State and the University of Washington, a four-spot increase over last year.
Nearly 2,500 ASU students received academic credit for traveling abroad and studying in another country for a portion of their academic experience. ASU offers students more than 300 study abroad programs in 65-plus countries.
“As a university, we are committed to taking fundamental responsibility for the communities we serve, and that includes the global community,” said Nancy Gonzales, executive vice president and university provost. “We are proud to offer an institution that enrolls students from over 80% of the countries in the world.”
A place where students feel at home
The welcoming campus environment is one of the university attributes that Erlang Liu, a third-year business and data analytics undergraduate from Shenzhen, China, did not expect when starting at ASU.
“Before arriving in the U.S., I imagined my experience would be largely academic and perhaps even a bit isolating. But ASU is so much more than classrooms and textbooks. I found myself in a community that’s as diverse as it is inclusive, with students from countless backgrounds, each bringing their own stories and aspirations,” Liu said.
Senior Reishan Leo, a biochemistry major from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, echoes that experience.
“I was worried about feeling homesick and being far from my family and familiar surroundings. However, my experience has been different than I expected in the best way. ASU's welcoming community, involvement in clubs and the connections I've built have helped me feel at home here. These experiences have made the transition much easier than I anticipated, and I’ve found a strong support network that has eased the distance from home,” Leo said.
Some students find that strong support network early in their ASU experience, like first-year business administration student Shreya from Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India, who goes only by a first name.
“During my first week (at the Polytechnic campus), specifically during the welcome week for international students, I found my community, my space and, most importantly, a sense of home," Shreya said.
Navigating unknown territory through holistic support
One of the ways ASU supports international students is through the International Students and Scholars Center, or the ISSC. The ISSC is instrumental in helping students complete and submit their immigration documents, as well as maintain their eligibility to study in the U.S.
Beyond assistance with immigration paperwork, ISSC Assistant Vice President Moninder “Holly” Singh says the center helps international students understand and adapt to American culture, connect with other students and find a job, which many international students need to have to continue studying at a U.S. university.
“International students have to navigate an entirely new environment — different customs, new foods, confusing slang — as well as find student employment," Singh said. "The ISSC exists to guide international students through all this with the intention of helping them become acclimated and comfortable in their new city and on a U.S. college campus.”
Along with the varied resources offered by the ISSC, international students at ASU can also join internationally focused student clubs, take part in the global peer mentors program and participate in ASU’s annual International Night — a celebration of the numerous cultures represented at ASU. Additionally, they have access to all the support resources enjoyed by every ASU student, including free tutoring, counseling and career services.
Incorporating mentorship and facilitating connections
In addition to ASU’s multifaceted support, international students often find that their professors can become mentors, offering foundational guidance throughout their college experience in the U.S.
“The professors are more than just teachers — they’re mentors guiding us toward practical skills and a mindset of continuous learning,” Liu said.
Robotics and autonomous systems graduate student Vishvali Deo from Pune, Maharashtra, India, has found that her professors also contribute to her feelings of inclusion at ASU.
“The connections I’ve made here with professors, as well as the other staff, have really created a sense of belonging within me, and that has helped me study with more passion,” Deo said.
A decades-long history of welcoming international students
ASU has been participating in the IIE Open Doors Report since 1949, when it hosted 14 international students. By 2014, that number grew to more than 8,600 international students. Over the last 10 years, the number rose by another 9,700-plus students to more than 18,400.
Thanks to its growing reputation as a top global university, more international students have joined ASU in the past 10 years than in the previous 65.
Today, just as it did 75 years ago, ASU recognizes the monumental choice international students make in leaving their home country and investing their time, energy and trust in ASU. The university values and cultivates that trust by offering international students a globally minded education delivered by some of the finest professors in the world to enable students to approach with confidence anything they want to do in life.
Deo feels that confidence already as she looks forward to graduating and earning her degree from the No. 2 public university in the U.S. for graduate employability.
Reflecting on the strong academic foundation ASU has provided her, Vishvali said, “I love campus. I love the university. Not a day have I regretted being a Sun Devil!”
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