The number of Chinese students at US universities jumped 16.5 percent in the last academic year to 274,439, according to a report by the New York-based Institute of International Education.

Total foreign enrollments were up by 8.1 percent to 886,052, with growth largely driven by students from China, the annual Open Doors report said.

They made up 31 percent of the international student total at US universities, more than India, second with 12 percent, and South Korea, third with 7.7 percent, put together.

There are now five times as many Chinese students on US campuses as there were in 2000, according to the report.

The United States, with many universities of world renown, is an increasingly popular destination for Chinese students.

Daniel Chou, a pupil at the Shanghai World Foreign Language Middle School, has already submitted applications to several American universities and is preparing more.

“I have been doing research on American schools since my first year in high school. I’ve never considered other choices,” Chou said. “America has plenty of good universities and more job opportunities for foreign graduates than in other countries.”

Along with the increase in student numbers has come a boom in consulting companies and agencies offering help with the application process.

The Chinamerica Educational Development Consulting Associates, a Shanghai-based company, said it had helped nearly 900 Chinese students to gain admission to American universities in the past academic year, about 100 more than the year before.

“Our clients grow every year, with increases both in students with high academic performance and those from less developed cities,” said Li Yan, a senior manager at the company.

“Students have more choices in America than in other countries as it has the largest number of world-known schools with high-quality education,” she said.

But competition is fierce and it can be hard to get in.

“We usually suggest students apply for eight American schools at different levels to ensure at least one offer is received,” Li said.

Though international students make up just over 4 percent of the total student body in the US, their spending contributed more than US$27 billion to the US economy last year, according to the US Department of Commerce.

The Open Doors report said about 74 percent of international students receive the majority of their funds from sources outside the United States, including personal and family sources as well as their home governments or universities.

Students from abroad contribute to America’s scientific and technical research and bring an international perspectives into US classrooms, helping prepare American undergraduates for global careers, and often leading to long-term business relationships and economic benefits, the report said.

Hosting 11,164 foreign students last year, New York University has jumped from fourth place to top host for international students, ending the University of Southern California’s 12-year run and pushing it into second place.

Meanwhile, the number of US students studying abroad has more than doubled over the past 15 years.

Of the 289,408 total, 12.5 percent headed to the United Kingdom, the favorite destination, while China hosted 14,413, or 5 percent.

China has been in fifth place as a destination for US students since the 2006-2007 academic year.

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