The Office of International Students and Scholars at UNR

oversees 642 students from 66 countries. Director Susan Bender

says the office has been “greatly, greatly affected” by the budget
cuts to the University of Nevada, Reno. She says because of the
budget cuts, more international students are finding it harder to
finance studies at UNR and the office is struggling to provide
enough assistance with fewer staff members. Recruitment efforts,
activities and intercultural training programs have all been
N e a rly a th ird o f u n d e rg ra d u a te in te rn a tio n a l stu d e n ts a tte n d in g
U N R a re e n ro lle d in th e B u sin e ss A d m in istra tio n a n d
M a n a g e m e n t p ro g ra m .
In co n tra st, th e m a jo rity o f g ra d u a te in te rn a tio n a lstu d e n ts a re
e n ro lle d in U N R ’ sscie n ce a n d e n g in e e rin g p ro g ra m s, w ith civil
e n g in e e rin g , ch e m istry a n d p h ysics a s th e to p th re e m a jo rs.
 Most international students who enrolled at
UNR in fall 2010 were from Asia – China,
Japan and India contributed the most
students.
 T h e m a jo rity o f in te rn a tio n a l stu d e n ts a t U N R a re
p u rsu in g g ra d u a te d e g re e s. In te rn a tio n a l stu d e n ts o n ly
m a ke u p fo u r p e rce n t o f th e e n tire U N R p o p u la tio n .
 T h e n u m b e r o f in te rn a tio n a l stu d e n ts a t U N R h a ve d e clin e d
o ve r th e p a st d e ca d e , fro m n e a rly 8 0 0 in 2 0 0 1 to 6 4 2 in
2 0 1 0 . T h e la rg e st d e cre a se h a s o ccu rre d a m o n g in te rn a tio n a l
stu d e n ts se e kin g a B a ch e lo r’ s d e g re e .
$145 $525
2010 2011

From 2010 to 2011, student fees for international

students rose from $145 to $525 per semester. That’s a
362 percent jump. The decision was part of the Nevada
System of Higher Education’s cuts to the budget in order
to accommodate a funding shortfall.
 2010 2011

$29,950 $31,000

From 2010 to 2011, the total cost of tuition, housing,

books and insurance for international students
increased $1,050 from 2010 to 2011. That’s a 3.4 percent
jump in total cost.
 International students enrolling at UNR can expect to
spend at least $31,000 per academic year of study in
Nevada. More than half of that figure goes toward paying
tuition and credit fees.
 According to the Institute of International Education, nearly two-
thirds of the total cost of studying abroad is paid for by personal
and family funds. When U.S. universities increase their tuition and
mandatory fees, it leaves many foreign families struggling to
finance a study abroad for their children.
$65.7
million
That’s how much the Institute of International Education
estimates international students contributed to the
Nevada economy in 2010.
$20 billion
That’s how much the Institute of International Education
estimates international students contributed to the
national economy in 2010.
 nationally statewide

#41 #3
Nevada ranks no. 41 in the nation in the number of international
students within its state. The University of Nevada, Reno,
meanwhile, falls behind the University of Nevada Las Vegas and the
College of Southern Nevada in its number of foreign students. (Data
obtained from the Institute of International Education.)