US colleges provide timely alternative

While Ireland remains a popular study option for US students, equally a world of educational opportunity awaits the Irish stateside with a range of financial supports on offer, writes Education Correspondent Niall Murray

IRISH colleges are maintaining their share of United States students on campus, despite the global economic downturn.

Ireland is still the ninth most popular destination, catering for 6,858 US students in higher education in the 2008/2009 academic year — down 0.3% on the previous year and representing 2.6% of all US students at college overseas. Government plans to increase full-time international student numbers from 17,000 to 25,000 by 2015 would raise their contribution to the economy to €1.2 billion a year.