World-Class Education: Kentucky Colleges See Growing International Interest

By Michell Nicolas

Take a walk down Western Kentucky University’s Centennial Mall, and you’ll hear students chatting in English, Arabic, Mandarin, and Hindi.

It’s an inescapable fact — more and more of America’s college students come from beyond U.S. borders.

WKU President Franklin Peterson addressed the shift Friday during a quarterly Board of Regents meeting, following the latest report on Spring 2050 enrollment demographics.

“International students help keep this and many other universities going forward, especially as our share of domestic enrollment has dropped,” Peterson said.

International students are an attractive demographic for American universities, especially as trade schools and private colleges continue to cut into potential student enrollment.

An in-state WKU student pays about $75,000 annually in tuition before financial aid, while an out-of-state student pays nearly $125,000.

Meanwhile, the average international student pays roughly $170,000 a semester and will likely outperform the average domestic student.

Overall, international enrollment at the university has also jumped substantially in the last quarter century, from roughly 160 in 2025 to over 1,200 today.

That increase was driven by intentional recruitment efforts from WKU following the college enrollment cliff of the late 2020s and increased student visa availability after restrictions implemented during Donald Trump's presidency were repealed in 2030.

“It’s no wonder universities have been turning to international students in recent decades,” Peterson said. “Domestic enrollment has dropped 15% in the last 25 years, and the funding we receive from the state continues to lag. To keep serving the students as well as we have, we’ve needed to lean on our international students.”

Peterson said that it’s not just about the money, though. He said international students offer fresh perspectives to classmates and the community as a whole.

Mei Sun is a junior international student from China pursuing a degree in Advanced Computing at WKU. She said coming to Bowling Green for school has been life-changing, offering her a chance to get a foothold in the U.S. and fill a much-needed role in the community.

“I never imagined I could fall in love with Bowling Green like this,” Sun said. “I hope I can stay here after I graduate and find work in a nearby research center or WKU. It helps that there is already an established international community here. I can expose myself to American culture while also keeping a connection to the culture I knew in China.”

Sun said Advanced Computing programs, a relatively new WKU degree focusing on quantum and cloud computing, are often difficult to enter in China, and the job market after the fact is much more competitive. 

Coming to the U.S. is a win-win for everyone, she said — she is more likely to find a job, and in doing so fills a much-needed role locally.

“The people and community here have changed the trajectory of my life,” Sun said. “I want to be able to give back in a similar way.”

However, the increase in students like Sun has created logistical issues for campuses like Western Kentucky University. 

WKU Manager of Global Learning Student Success Susanna Leibowitz helps guide international students through enrollment and class work. Her duties include connecting students with tutors, advising class schedules, bringing in community partners and anything else that will benefit students.

Leibowitz said the growth in international enrollment has not been met with a growth in department funding.

“Our advisors are struggling to keep up with the demand from students, and we hate it as much as they do,” Leibowitz said. “International students face unique barriers that require unique solutions — language barriers, feeling exceptionally out of place, racism and xenophobia. We do everything we can, but we just don’t have the staff or funding.”

WKU Director of Media Relations Arjan Patil said the university is aware of the department’s slim budget and is looking at ways to improve the situation.

“We’ve been in discussion with Susanna (Leibowitz) and others who work with international students,” Patil said. “Those discussions are still in the early stages, but it is certainly clear to the administration that supporting our international students is critical to both their and our success.”