Beyond ‘international’: Understanding nuances of a diverse applicant pool

The number of international applicants using the Common App has increased significantly in recent years. However, these applicants are not a monolithic group; their characteristics and application behaviors vary widely by country, highlighting the importance of disaggregating analyses to understand the nuances within this diverse applicant pool.

Key findings include:

• Between 2014–15 and 2021–22, the number of international applicants rose 63%, from 31,456 to 51,426. Over half of this increase occurred between 2019–20 and 2021–22, when applications from international applicants grew 109%.
• China remained the home of the largest number of international applicants in 2021–22, with over 12,000 applicants. Other countries with significant numbers of applicants included India, Canada, Korea, and Pakistan. All of these countries saw growth over time.
• Socioeconomic differences were apparent across countries. Most applicants from Nepal (88%) and Pakistan (66%) reported eligibility for a Common App fee waiver. By contrast, fewer than 10% of applicants from China, Taiwan, Korea, Singapore, Canada, and India reported fee waiver eligibility.
• Application behaviors also varied by country. The majority of applicants from China (65%) and Korea (50%) applied Early Decision in 2021–22. Early Decision applications were far less common among applicants from other countries.

These findings underscore the importance of disaggregating analyses of international applicants to capture the diverse experiences and behaviors within this group. Understanding these nuances can help colleges design more equitable and effective admissions practices.