The United States Embassy in Harare has said the number of Zimbabweans studying in the United States has increased by 15%.
Zimbabwe is now the second leading country in sub-Saharan Africa per capita in terms of sending students to study in the US, and the sixth in the overall number of students studying in the United States, NewsDay reported citing a statement issued by the US Embassy on Wednesday. Reads the statement:
According to the 2022 Open Doors Report, the number of Zimbabwean students enrolled at United States colleges and universities increased by 15,6% for the 2021/22 academic year, from 1 304 to 1 507.
The growing interest of Zimbabweans studying in the United States affirms the strong bonds between the people of Zimbabwe and the United States; overall, the total number of international students choosing US universities and colleges grew by 3,4%, totalling nearly one million.
Several factors contribute to the success of Zimbabweans in applying to US institutions. Profiles of Zimbabwean students and professionals are impressive, and a significant number receive academic scholarships.
Additionally, the United States embassy in Zimbabwe maintains robust exchange programmes that enable Zimbabweans to travel to the United States for academic and professional learning opportunities. In the past decade, the embassy has funded more than 1 000 Zimbabweans to go on academic exchanges, including more than 500 participants on various Fulbright programmes. These efforts exemplify the embassy’s commitment to international student mobility and US-Zimbabwean university partnerships.
The US said it remained in the top three destinations for Zimbabweans studying abroad, based on Unesco data.
The embassy said it committed to open doors of opportunity purposefully and deliberately for more Zimbabweans.
