A recent study released by the Chronicle of Higher Education found that although the number of international students pursuing undergraduate degrees in the United States has increased dramatically over the past several years, there is no evidence to suggest that they are displacing in-state students.

According to the study, freshman classes enrolled an average of 21 more in-state students in 2012 than they did in 2006. At the same time, they also admitted an additional 140 international students on average.

The University of Minnesota-Twin Cities displayed atypical numbers. In 2012, it admitted 203 more international students than in 2006, but it also admitted 96 fewer local residents.

Minnesota’s high school graduation rates are expected to flatten over the next several years. To strike a balance between foreign and domestic admissions, the University could consider pursuing a similar model to Michigan State’s.

Because Michigan’s population of high school students is dropping, Michigan State admitted fewer in-state high school students in 2012 than in 2006. However, the percentage of graduating classes admitted remained the same. Although that school experienced the largest increase in international student admissions, it avoided displacing locals.

The current influx of international students is a potential boon to Minnesota’s economy. To that end, we encourage the University’s International Student and Scholar Services to provide international students with more career resources to help them find jobs in Minnesota after they graduate.