Career Prospects and Outcomes of U.S.-Educated International Students: Improving Services, Bolstering Success. Report 09

In order to provide institutions with more insight into student experiences and perspectives on their careers and the preparation they received on campus--and to promote discussions about how such students' might be better served--the research team at World Education Services (WES) conducted a survey of both current international students and international alumni of U.S. higher education institutions. In June 2017, researchers surveyed some 2,162 former WES applicants for foreign credential evaluation, including 1,067 current students and 1,095 alumni. Researchers set out to answer three main questions: (1) What are the career aspirations of international students and international alumni of U.S. higher education institutions (HEIs), and how do those influence their decision to study in the United States?; (2) What are the career outcomes of international alumni who have graduated from U.S. institutions?; and (3) How can international students' experiences with career service offices and related support services on U.S. campuses be improved? Key findings include: (1) The vast majority of both current international students and international alumni believe that their U.S. education was a good investment; (2) International students say that credential recognition outside of the United States was one factor they considered when deciding to study in the U.S.; (3) Overall, employment outcomes for alumni are good, but there are areas that could use improvement; (4) Post-graduation work-training programs in the United States, for instance Optional Practical Training (OPT) and Academic Training, were viewed positively; (5) Alumni in the U.S. use a variety of forms of work authorization, despite the challenges in obtaining work permits. Others leave due to difficulty obtaining work permits; (6) Usage of and satisfaction with career services offices was uneven; and (7) Most international students came to the U.S. with at least some experience and gained more while studying.