UNC Ranks 17th Among US Universities for Study Abroad in 2018 ‘Open Doors’ Report
November 15, 2018
UNC Global Affairs
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ranks 17th among U.S. higher education institutions for the number of students earning credit for study abroad, according to the Institute of International Education’s (IIE) 2018 Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange.
UNC-Chapel Hill retained its 17th place ranking in study abroad from the previous year. The Open Doors top 25 list is based on the total number of a higher education institution’s students who study abroad. Open Doors found that the overall number of U.S. students studying abroad increased by 2.3 percent to 332,727 over the previous year. 2,244 Carolina undergraduate, graduate and professional students studied abroad in 2016-17. This year, UNC-Chapel Hill also ranked 40th place in the Open Doors ranking for undergraduate participation in study abroad programs.
“Our position in rankings such as these reflects the increasing interest of our students in a global education,” said Raymond Farrow, associate provost for global affairs and interim chief global officer. “At UNC, we continue to challenge ourselves to find ways to make it possible for more students to study abroad, and I’m excited that we are making strides in increasing student access and diversity.”
UNC-Chapel Hill has a long tradition of high participation rates in study abroad programs. Thirty-six percent of UNC-Chapel Hill undergraduates study abroad before graduation, one of the highest rates for a public university in the U.S. IIE reports that nationally about 16 percent of students pursuing a bachelor’s degree study abroad before graduating.
Open Doors is published annually by IIE in partnership with the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Founded in 1919, the IIE is a private not-for-profit leader in the international exchange of people and ideas. In collaboration with governments, foundations and other sponsors, IIE creates programs of study and training for students, educators and professionals from all sectors. These programs include the flagship Fulbright Program and Gilman Scholarships administered for the U.S. Department of State. IIE also conducts policy research, provides resources on international exchange opportunities and offers support to scholars in danger.