African Americans Are Increasingly Studying Abroad

During the 2008-09 academic year more than 260,000 American college students spent some time abroad. In 1999 there were 143,590 American college students who spent at least one semester abroad.

From 1999 to 2006 the black percentage of all students who went abroad remained stagnant at a low 3.5 percent. Undoubtedly, travel and other added expenses are a major reason the percentage of African Americans in the study-abroad pool has been so low.

But over the last several years the black percentage of the students studying abroad has increased. In 2007 blacks were 3.8 percent of all students who went abroad. In 2008 the percentage increased to 4.0 percent. In 2009, 4.2 percent of all students who went abroad were black.

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