Saudis 4th largest group of foreign students in US

Saudi Arabia sent 34,139 students to study in the United States in the academic year 2011-2012, making it the fourth largest provider of foreign students to US colleges after China, India and South Korea, according to the most recent annual report by the Institute of International Education.
During 2010-2011, the number of students sent to US colleges increased by 11,435 students from the previous year. There are currently about 70,000 Saudi students in American universities. The number is expected to rise.
International student enrollment at US colleges has risen in recent years, with a record of 764,495 foreign students attending colleges the US in 2011-2012.
An increase in the number of undergraduate students from Saudi Arabia enrolling in the King Abdullah Foreign Scholarship Program, which is funded by the government, has overtaken the number of international graduates for the first time in 12 years. The government allocated 25 percent of the Kingdom’s public expenses to education this year.
“Many Saudi students’ choice of attending colleges in the US over those in other countries is due to their first-rate scholastic programs,” says Evan Bunis, senior academic consultant. “The King Abdullah Foreign Scholarship Program does its best to make sure that Saudi students receive the best academic support and attend the best universities in the world.”
According to the US Department of Commerce, international students contributed $ 22.7 billion last year to the US economy.