NSF Reports on Increase in Foreign Science and Engineering Enrollments. (July 15, 2010)

A report released this month  by the United States' National Science Foundation (NSF) notes that foreign enrollment in U.S. colleges and universities increased by 4% for science and engineering in the autumn of 2009, a larger increase than in recent years.  Engineering (17%) and computer sciences (7%) were the two largest fields enrolling foreign students. Foreign enrollment rose in 2009 in all S&E fields except psychology. Mathematics and economics showed the greatest percentage gains.

Summarising the foreign student enrollment in the US the NSF writes:

Confirming expectations and recent findings from the Council of Graduate Schools, the SEVIS [Student and Exchange Visitor Information System] data on foreign enrollment in U.S. institutions showed slowing growth in foreign enrollment in fall 2009 and no increase in enrollment of first-time foreign students. Despite the drop in new students from many countries, especially India, foreign enrollment in S&E fields continued to increase in fall 2009, with increases primarily from China and Middle Eastern countries. Continued weakness in the U.S. and global economies and long-term budget woes in states and universities (Federal Reserve 2009; Nelson 2010) may affect the number of new foreign students coming to the United States to study over the next several years.

The two tables below detail data from 2006 - 2009.