A study released today by the Brookings Institution shows foreign students attending universities throughout the United States provide a key link to economic growth. The findings show New Orleans has an opportunity to expand its international trade.
Foreign students are often recruited to make the college community more diverse. Study author Neil Ruiz says New Orleans has also been reaping financial rewards.
He looked at the numbers from 2008 to 2012. New Orleans ranks 108 on the national list of regions with the most foreign students — with nearly 11 for every 1,000.
“Foreign students are bringing in about $80 million in tuition and almost $40 million in living costs such as housing and related costs in the New Orleans area,” Ruiz said.
Ruiz says a long-term payoff could be even greater if those students stay in New Orleans and make business connections with their countries of origin.
“It could potentially tap new markets, open new businesses in New Orleans or help New Orleans businesses help an exporter expand abroad.”
Jeff Schiffman is senior associate director of Tulane University admissions.
“This year our admission staff will travel to, I believe, 18 foreign countries," Schiffman said. "I have a colleague who is in Latin America right now. One of my colleagues will be in Europe, one will be in India. I will be visiting seven different countries in Asia. So we definitely have increased that commitment to the recruitment of foreign students.”
The Brookings report finds about a third of the foreign students in New Orleans now remain in the region for jobs after graduation.
