The Institute of International Education’s (IIE) annual 'Open Doors' Report has revealed that the number of Vietnamese students studying in the U.S. had risen for 16 consecutive years, the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi announced in a press release on Tuesday.

According to the report for the 2016-17 academic year, Vietnam remains the sixth leading country of origin for international students in the U.S., with 22,438 students, a 1,035 student or five percent increase from 2015-16.

Of the 22,438 Vietnamese students in the U.S., 68 percent were undergraduates, 15.6 percent were graduate-level students, nine percent were enrolled in Optional Practical Training, and the remaining 7.4 percent pursued non-degree programs. 

The U.S. received nearly 1.1 million international students for the 2016-17 academic year, a 3.4 percent surge over last year, according to the data.

International students accounted for 5.3 percent of all higher education students in the country, a slight increase from last year’s 5.2 percent.

Engineering, business and management, math and computer science remain the most popular fields of study for international students in 2016-17. 

Math and computer science were also the fastest-growing fields of study, with a positive change of 18 percent from 2015-16. 

The top 10 states for international students include California, New York, Texas, Massachusetts, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Florida, Ohio, Michigan, and Indiana.

This illustration shows the number of Vietnamese students in the U.S, posted on Consul General Mary Tarnowka’s verified Facebook page

On the other hand, the data also revealed that Vietnam became an increasingly popular destination for American students. 

Vietnam welcomed 1,012 students from the United States during the 2016-17 academic year. 

Hot on the heels of President Donald Trump’s visit, this data demonstrates increasingly strong ties between the United States and Vietnam. 

President Trump noted in his speech at the APEC CEO Summit last week, “Vietnamese students rank among the best students in the world. And that is very impressive.” 

According to the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi, education remains a cornerstone of the United States-Vietnam bilateral relationship, and the United States will continue to promote opportunities for Vietnamese students to study in the United States through EducationUSA and its American Centers in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.  

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