U.S. Students Led the Overall Decline

Although the pandemic posed particular challenges for international students, the number of Ph.D.s awarded to temporary visa holders fell 4.5 percent in 2021, which was less than the 8.1-percent drop in those awarded to U.S. citizens.

Ph.D. recipients by citizenship status

Chart: Audrey Williams June Source: Survey of Earned Doctorates, 2021 Get the data