• Amb Masood welcomes rising numbers of Pakistani students in US.
• Efforts afoot to double existing numbers in next 3 years, he says.
• From 2022-203, there were 10,164 Pakistani students in US varsities.

A 16% increase in the admission of Pakistani students to American universities has been recorded in the past year, according to a report published by the US State Department.

Considerable growth was recorded in the number of students coming to pursue higher education in US institutions from Pakistan, the annual Open Doors Report for 2022-23 report, prepared in collaboration with the Institute of International Education (IIE), mentioned.

“During 2022-2023, there were 10,164 Pakistani students, compared to 8,772 in the previous year, indicating an impressive 16% increase,” it read.

It also underscores the continued prominence of the US as the top destination for international study in the 2022-2023 academic year. 

Notably, the data reveals a significant milestone, with the US hosting over one million (1,057,188) international students during this period, marking a remarkable 12% increase from the previous academic year and representing the fastest growth rate in over four decades.

This growth, it added, positions Pakistan among the top eight countries experiencing a notable rise in the number of students pursuing education in the United States.

Welcoming a significant increase in numbers, Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States Ambassador Masood Khan expressed hope that the ongoing efforts would result in doubling the existing numbers in the next three years.

He thanked the Joe Biden administration for its cooperation towards the education sector and observed that the presence of Pakistani male and female students, from across the country, in various US institutes not only reflected the close cooperation of the two countries in the education sector but also guaranteed strong Pak-US relations in the future.

Khan added that the focus was being laid on providing Pakistani students with greater opportunities in STEM subjects, especially in science, technology, engineering and mathematics so that they could benefit from US expertise and knowledge in these disciplines.