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Thousands of Zimbabwean students are leaving the country to enrol at different United States (US) tertiary institutions, a report has revealed.
About 1 800 students enrolled for the 2022/23 academic year, an Institute of International Education Open Doors report said, noting that the number of Zimbabwean undergraduate students in the US increased by 24,4 percent, one of the largest increases among all sub-Saharan African countries.
“The number of Zimbabwean students enrolled at United States colleges and universities increased by 18,7 percent over the previous academic year, according to the 2023 Open Doors report issued by the Institute of International Education,” the US embassy said in a statement.
“With a reported 1 789 Zimbabwean higher education students in the United States for the 2022/23 academic year, Zimbabwe is the second leading country in sub-Saharan Africa, per capita, and the sixth in the overall number of students in the United States. The number of Zimbabwean undergraduate students increased by 24,4 percent, representing one of the largest increases among all sub-Saharan African nations.”
Of the Zimbabweans studying in the United States, 51,4 percent are undergraduates, 29,4 percent are graduate students, 17 percent are involved in optional practical training, and the remainder is enrolled in non-degree programs.
“The United States remains in the top three destination countries for Zimbabweans studying abroad, after South Africa and the United Kingdom. The growing interest of Zimbabweans studying in the United States affirms the strong bonds between the people of Zimbabwe and the United States.
“The US embassy in Zimbabwe also maintains robust exchange programs which enable Zimbabweans to travel to the United States for academic and professional exchange and prioritizes visa appointments for student and exchange visitors,” further read the statement.
According to the US, in the past decade, more than 500 Zimbabweans have participated in the US Fulbright Program, a fully funded academic exchange as part of its commitment to strengthen US-Zimbabwe university partnerships.
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