Nikita Chinchwade moved from India to the U.S. last fall to get a master's degree.
尼基塔·欽奇瓦德去年秋天從印度來到美國攻讀碩士學位。
"It had been a dream of mine for a very long time because of the quality of education here," she says.
「這是我很久以來的夢想，因為這裡的教育質量很高，」她說。
The U.S. has historically been a top destination for international students. At last count there were more than a million. They're attracted by the high-tech facilities and opportunities for research; the easy, nonhierarchical interaction between faculty and students; and the open, social e nvironment on campuses.
美國歷來是國際學生的首選目的地。最近的調查顯示有一百多萬人。他們被高科技設施和研究機會所吸引；被師生之間輕鬆、無等級的互動；校園中開放、社交型的環境所吸引。
But this year, in a survey of more than 700 colleges and universities, the Institute of International Education found total international enrollment plummeted 16% between fall of 2019 and fall of 2020. Statistics on new international students was even grimmer — a 43% drop. Tens of thousands have deferred enrollment.
但今年，國際教育學院在對700多所高校的調查中發現，從2019年秋季到2020年秋季，國際招生總量驟降16%。新留學生的統計數字更是慘不忍睹，下降了43%。數以萬計的學生推遲入學。
"We've never had a decrease like that," said Allan Goodman, who heads the Institute of International Education. But he added that he believes the numbers will go back up once the coronavirus pandemic passes, predicting "surges of students" enrolling. "What we do know is, when pandemics end, there's tremendous pent-up demand."
國際教育研究所所長艾倫·古德曼（Allan Goodman）說：「我們從未出現過這樣的下降。」。但他補充說，他相信一旦新冠疫情過去，這些數字將會回升，並預測「入學人數將激增」。「我們所知道的是，當大流行結束時，會有大量被壓抑的需求被釋放。」
While the pandemic is an obvious reason for the decline, some experts point out that international student enrollment has been declining since 2016.
雖然流感大流行是造成下降的一個明顯原因，但一些專家指出，自2016年以來，美國的國際學生入學率一直在下降。
All this has serious consequences for higher education. To put it simply: These students bring in a lot of money.
所有這些都對高等教育產生了嚴重的後果。簡單地說：這些留學生帶來了很多收入。
Before the pandemic, international students contributed about $44 billion a year to the U.S. economy, says Rachel Banks, senior director for public policy and legislative strategy at NAFSA: Association of International Educators, citing an analysis from the 2018-2019 school year. And those students support about half a million jobs.
NAFSA（國際教育工作者協會）負責公共政策和立法戰略的高級主管雷切爾·班克斯（Rachel Banks）援引2018-2019學年的一份分析報告說，在流感大流行之前，國際學生每年為美國經濟貢獻了約440億美元。這些學生支撐大約50萬份工作。
"They typically pay higher tuition rates than domestic students do," Banks says. "And in some instances, they'll even pay more than out-of-state students would. So schools certainly would feel that directly."
「他們通常比國內學生支付更高的學費，」班克斯說。「在某些情況下，他們甚至會比州外學生支付更多的錢。所以學校肯定會直接感受到這一點。」
These students contribute more than money, bringing social and cultural diversity to U.S. campuses.
這些學生貢獻的不僅僅是錢，也給美國校園帶來了社會和文化的多樣性。
"Everybody is learning from each other. So you want to cast your net as wide as you can," says Martin McFarlane, director of international student services at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The campus has among the highest number of international students of any university in the U.S., more than 10,500.
「大家都在互相學習。伊利諾伊大學香檳分校（University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign）國際學生服務部主任馬丁·麥克法蘭（Martin McFarlane）說：「所以你想把你的關係網延伸得越寬越好。」該校區是美國所有大學中留學生人數最多的大學之一，超過10500人。
McFarlane says higher education is all about an exchange of ideas: "We are so interconnected globally that if you are cutting yourself off from that, you're doing yourself a disservice."
麥克法蘭說，高等教育就是一種思想交流：「我們在全球範圍內是如此的相互聯繫，如果你切斷自己與外邊的聯繫，你就是在傷害自己。」
A Duke University study found that domestic students who engaged with international students enhanced their self-confidence, leadership and quantitative skills. U.S. undergrads were also more likely to "appreciate art [and] literature," "place current problems in historical perspective" and "read or speak a foreign language."
杜克大學（Duke University）的一項研究發現，與國際學生接觸的國內學生增強了他們的自信、領導能力和定量能力。美國在校生也更傾向於「欣賞藝術和文學」，「從歷史的角度看待當前的問題」和「讀或說一門外語」
The United States has long recognized the long-term benefit to hosting these students in terms of influence and magnifying the country's diplomatic "soft power." A recent study shows that the U.S. educated 62 of last year's world leaders. And research has found that international students develop a trust with their host countries, which also leads to future visits and future business interactions.
美國早就認識到接待這些學生的長期好處在於影響力和擴大國家的外交「軟實力」。最近的一項研究顯示，美國去年培養了62名世界領導人。研究發現，留學生與東道國建立了信任關係，這也導致了未來的訪問和未來的商業互動。
About half of international students come to the U.S. to study in the STEM fields: science, technology, engineering and math. A 2017 analysis found that foreign nationals, for example, make up 81% of full-time graduate students in electrical engineering, 79% in computer science and 59% in civil engineering.
大約一半的國際學生來美國學習STEM領域：科學、技術、工程和數學。2017年的一項分析發現，例如，在電氣工程專業的全日制研究生中，外籍人士佔81%，計算機科學佔79%，土木工程佔59%。
Alexis Abramson, dean of the Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth, worries about having fewer international students in the STEM fields. "We're all very concerned that the U.S. will lose its competitive edge," she says. "Engineers and scientists invent things and innovate and solve a lot of the most pressing problems facing our world."
達特茅斯（Dartmouth）塞耶工程學院（Thayer School of Engineering）院長亞歷克西斯·阿布拉姆森（Alexis Abramson）擔心STEM領域的國際學生會減少。」「我們都非常擔心美國將失去其競爭優勢，」她說。「科學家和工程師發明並解決了世界上最緊迫的問題。」
A recent survey of 500 U.S. university officials found several reasons for fewer international students, including the visa process and high tuition costs as well as the political climate and feeling "unwelcome." For the first time, a main reason listed was "global competition." In stark contrast to the U.S. declines over the past few years, the U.K., Canada and Australia have seen enrollment spikes.
最近對500名美國大學官員進行的一項調查發現，導致留學生減少的原因有很多，包括籤證程序、高昂的學費以及政治氣候和「不受歡迎」等。第一次出現列出的主要原因是「全球競爭」的情況。與美國過去幾年的下降形成鮮明對比的是，英國、加拿大和澳大利亞的招生人數激增。
Banks of NAFSA isn't surprised. She says the Trump administration has made it harder to study in the U.S. through its anti-immigrant rhetoric and policies. Competitor countries, she adds, are stepping in to fill the void, "falling over themselves to say, 'Look, the United States doesn't want you, but we do!' "
NAFSA銀行並不感到驚訝。她說，川普政府通過其反移民言論和政策，加大了赴美留學的難度。她補充說，競爭對手國家正在介入填補這一空白，「他們會不顧一切地說，『看，美國不想要你，但我們需要你！』」
Arvind Ganesh always wanted to study in the United States. He's 22 and originally from Chennai, India. But when the time came to make a decision for graduate school, he chose Canada. "The education expense is one thing; the cost of living is another," he explained. The U.S. also has "the problem of security to international students. I'm talking about racial bias."
阿爾文德甘尼什一直想去美國學習。他22歲，原籍印度金奈。但到了決定讀研究生的時候，他選擇了加拿大。」教育費用是一回事，生活費用是另一回事。美國也有「國際學生的安全問題」。我說的是種族偏見。」
Students like Ganesh have contributed to double-digit increases in Canada. It has lower tuition costs, generous work-study policies and clear pathways to permanent residency and citizenship.
像甘尼什這樣的學生為加拿大的兩位數增長做出了貢獻。它有較低的學費、慷慨的勤工儉學政策以及獲得永久居留權和公民身份的明確途徑。
The U.K., America's biggest competitor for international students, is also trying hard to recruit more, with an ambitious goal of 600,000 students by 2030. As part of its Study UK effort, officials have relaxed policies so students can stay and get more work experience after they graduate.
美國最大的國際學生競爭對手英國也在努力招募更多的學生，目標是2030的招收600000名留學生。作為「學習英國」計劃的一部分，英國官員放寬了政策，以便學生畢業後能留下來，獲得更多的工作經驗。
Ganesh starts classes in a month and is excited about making friends and learning about Canada. He's not too worried about culture shock, saying he has heard Canadians are very friendly. "Even though it's a very cold country, but you still feel warm when you feel people are welcoming and embracing."
加內什一個月後就開始上課了，他對交朋友和了解加拿大感到很興奮。他不太擔心文化衝擊，因為他說他聽說加拿大人非常友好。」儘管這是一個非常寒冷的國家，但當你感到人們歡迎和擁抱時，你仍然感到溫暖。」
He says that's what makes a different country feel like a home away from home.
他說，這就是使一個異鄉感覺像一個遠方的家的原因。
本文英文來自於Npr，中文由本人創作。目的在於英語學習使用，如有侵權請告知刪除。