U.S. | ApplyBoard, the leading technology platform for international student mobility has published a new report analysing study permit trends in the United States (US).
According to the US Department of State’s monthly data, students from Uganda had the seventh largest increase in F-1 student visas issued between fiscal years 2022-2023, among countries with 1,000+ F-1 student visas issued.
Reaching over 1,000 F-1 student visas issued for the first time, Uganda saw a 30% increase between 2022-2023 and a whopping 156%+ increase since 2021.
ApplyBoard analyses the data on US student visa approvals, highlighting the recent growth for countries like Uganda.
In 2023, the US issued around 446,000 F-1 student visas, an 8.5% increase from 2022’s 411,000 visas issued. This was the highest number of student visas issued in a single year since 2016.
An F-1 student visa is for students looking to study at a college or university, or to study English at an English language institute in the US.
Key insights:
In 2023, Uganda was the seventh fastest-growing student population for F-1 US student visas issued. (among countries with 1,000+ F-1 student visas issued).
For the first time ever, Uganda was issued more than 1,000 F-1 student visas in 2023.
A total of 1,121 F-1 student visas were issued to students from Uganda in 2023, a 30% increase from 2022.
The total number of students from Uganda in the US grew by 156.5% compared to 2021.
In 2023, there was steady growth in the US from African student populations from Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria, Egypt, Ethiopia and Uganda.
In 2023, Kenya was the fastest-growing African student population for F-1 visas (58% increase).
Ghana had an increase of 52% from 2022 to 2023, making it the third fastest-growing student population for F-1 visas.
While student visas issued to Nigerian students dropped slightly year over year, Nigeria remains the US’s largest African student market. Nigerian students received just under 7,500 student visas in 2023.
By Raveena Desai, US.