When Rackham student Proj Ghosh first applied for a visa to the United States in his home country of India six years ago, it was typical for prospective travelers to line up to wait outside the visa office a day ahead of time. Ghosh and his family alternated holding a place in line through the night to ensure that he would get the visa he needed to go to graduate school.
To improve the experience of international graduate students, the U.S State Department has streamlined the visa process, significantly decreasing the time it takes to process applications.
This effort is one of several factors that have led to a national jump in international graduate applications at universities.
The number of graduate school applications by international students to American Universities has bounced back this year after dropping 23 percent since 2003. Application volume has risen 11 percent in 2006, according to the Council of Graduate Schools.
At the University, international graduate student applications have increased by nearly the same number, according to the most recent data available. As of March 26, Rackham Graduate School had received 7,292 applications, up from 6,575 at this point last year, about an 11-percent increase.
While the jolt in applications is encouraging, officials were hesitant to speculate what factors caused the increase.
Partly because they are usually unable to personally visit universities beforehand, a school’s reputation is often the biggest draw for prospective students, Ghosh said.
After reviewing rankings in publications like U.S News and World Report, Ghosh considered accomplishments of individual professors in his field of study.
Besides the strength of American universities, the possibility of gaining experience in the business world brought Ghosh to the United States.
Rodolfo Altamirano, director of the University’s International Center, agreed that opportunities in the professional world and opportunities for practical training separate the United States from other countries.
Altamirano, who is also chair of the Association of International Educators, said American universities need to continue to be proactive and provide a welcoming environment for elite international students, given increased competition from countries like Australia, New Zealand and England.
Smaller programs through the Business School and the International Center help Ghosh feel integrated into the campus community, he said.
“It makes us feel that they are not only interested in our money,” he said.
International students compose slightly more than 23 percent of the University’s graduate student body.
In 2006, applications from India to American universities increased by 23 percent, while those from China rose by 21 percent.
Though the International Center helps students with the visa process, each individual is responsible for completing the necessary paperwork.
Last January, after Graduate Student Instructor Marta Cruz-Sojo became stranded in Spain following visa troubles, the Graduate Employees Organization created the International Workers’ Caucus to help University students resolve troubles.
The University does not have a central body that addresses the visa process.
– David Ball contributed to this report.
By the numbers
-International grad school applications rose 11 percent in 2006.
-Applications dropped an average of 23 percent each year between 2003 and 2005.
-As of March 26, Rackham had received 7,292, up from 6,575 at this point last year