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August 6, 2026

Number of Foreign College Students Staying and Working in U.S. After Graduation Surges

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Number of Foreign College Students Staying and Working in U.S. After Graduation Surges
Number of foreign students graduating American colleges and obtaining authorization to work in the U.S. grows, especially among those in STEM fields
Nearly three-quarters of the 1.5 million graduates on OPT came from Asia
Number of STEM graduates under OPT grew substantially after the 2008 program expansion
Optional Practical Training approvals surpassed initial H-1B visa approvals in 2010, 2014, 2015 and 2016
Students from Asia make up a large majority of graduates approved for OPT, 2004-2016
Largest growth of OPT approvals among foreign student graduates with master’s degrees
Public college and university graduates made up largest group of OPT approvals, 2004-2016
Top 10 metro areas with largest number of foreign graduates on OPT, 2004-2016