WASHINGTON, November 15, 2004 – The United Kingdom remains the top destination for US students who study abroad, according to a report released today by the Institute of International Education (IIE).

In the 2002-03 academic year, 31,706 US students earned credit for studying abroad at universities in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. This figure represents a 5.2 percent increase over the previous year, and comprises more than 18 percent of all study abroad undertaken by US students as measured by IIE’s Open Doors Report.  Historically, the UK is the most popular study-abroad destination for US students.

“US students who choose to study in the UK reap a wide variety of benefits,” said Andy Mackay, director of the British Council USA, the United Kingdom's international organization for educational and cultural relations.  “The United Kingdom offers outstanding educational opportunities, whether students plan on a semester abroad, a full undergraduate degree or graduate studies.  At the same time, the UK is remarkably diverse – geographically, ethnically and culturally.”

Students planning to study in the United Kingdom can choose from 180 degree-awarding institutions offering 14,000 programs. The British Council USA website, www.britishcouncil.org/usa, provides comprehensive information on available UK study abroad programs, as well as undergraduate and graduate degrees, available scholarships and other funding options, visa requirements and student life.

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ABOUT THE BRITISH COUNCIL USA: An arm of the United Kingdom's international organization for educational and cultural relations, the British Council USA increases recognition of the wide array of learning opportunities available in the UK and facilitates educational cooperation between the US and UK. The organization also showcases British creativity by introducing the American public to high-quality, groundbreaking artistic achievement, and highlights the UK's scientific innovation in disciplines ranging from biotechnology to planetary science. Through its work, the British Council USA endeavors to promote an image of the UK that is up-to-date, vibrant, in the vanguard of new thinking and fully representative of the country’s geographic and cultural diversity.

CONTACT:     Stacy Hope
                    (202) 588-7849