1129 



proportion coming from different regions of the world, according to 

 the report, were the same as they had been in the past 5 years, 

 namely, 37 percent from the Far East, 20 percent from Latin America, 

 13 percent from Europe, 12 percent from the Near and Middle East, 

 9 percent from North America, 6 percent from Africa, and 1 percent 

 from Oceania. ^^^ 



Table 21 lists those foreign countries which had more than 1,000 

 students in the United States during 1970-71. "What is significant about 

 these data is that with few exceptions the LDCs are most strongly 

 represented, having a total student enrollment of 84,755. The figure 

 would be larger if the many small countries with fewer than 1,000 

 students were taken into account. 



In compiling its 1970-71 report, the HE surveyed 2,729 institutions. 

 Of those polled, 789, or 29 percent, did not reply. Other difficulties 

 were noted. Accordingly, the HE suggests a word of caution, but 

 insists that the statistics "are never exaggerated or inflated." ^^^ Two 

 sets of data important for the purposes of this study are those relating 

 to intentions as to future plans. There are two indicators of future 

 intentions : the type of visas held by the students, and their answer to 

 the HE questionnaire when specifically asked if they intended to stay 

 in the United States. According to the HE report, 18.5 percent of all 

 the responding foreign students, or 26,732, indicated that they held 

 immigrant visas, that is, they had been granted permission to apply 

 for permanent citizenship. The others were as follows : 51 percent had 

 F, or student, visas; 9 percent had J, or exchange-visitor, visas; and 

 5 percent had other types of nonimmigrant visas. No answer was given 

 in the questionnaire by 24,978 students, that is, 17 percent. The largest 

 proportion of the immigrant visa holders, 33 percent, came from Latin 

 America; 25 percent from the Far East; 21 percent from Europe; 3 

 percent from Africa ; 6 percent from the Near and Middle East ; 7 per- 

 cent from North America; and 1 percent from Oceania.^^^ Thus, at 

 least potentially some 67 percent of the respondent students from 

 regions of the world designated as LDCs declared by choice of visa 

 their intention of staying in the L^nited States. 



In response to the specific question regarding future residency in 

 the United States, only 11 percent answered in the affirmative. The 

 HE report reasoned that since 18.5 percent were immigrant visa hold- 

 ers, this affirmative answer from only 11 percent suggested that either 

 (1) a number came to the United States on this type of visa because 

 it was easily available and not because they intended to immigrate, 

 or (2) that a large proportion of the 38 percent of the students who 

 did not answer this question at all, in fact, intended to remain in the 

 United States. According to the survey, 33 percent said they did not 

 intend to remain in the United States, and 18 percent reported that 

 they were undecided.^ 



220 



217 Ibid., pp. 3-4. 



218 Ibid., p. 3. 



219 Ibid., p. 8. 



220 The HE report explained that the high proportion of non-response to this question 

 as well as to those concerning length of stay and sources of support (18 percent) could be 

 attributed to the fact that a third of the institutions surveyed responded to the question- 

 naires with lists of data compiled from registration information. These lists, the report 

 states, do not normally include information specifically designed for foreign students, 

 such as, auration of stay, intention of remaining and source of support (p. 9). 



