International university students in the Dominican Republic contribute US$6.3m to the country’s US$9.8 million per month income of foreign income which is up 15% from three years ago, according to a study by the Banco Central.
The bank’s international department said it conducted the survey of 1,500 international students with the aim to quantify the in-flow of foreign currency in respect to expenditure by foreign students as well as to strengthen the analysis of the balance of payments.
The average monthly expenditure of students ranged from US$1,510.65 per month to US$631.65.
Of the almost 9,000 international students in the Dominican Republic, Haitians make up nearly two-thirds (73.5%) of international students in the country, up from 69% in 2009. The US follows, sending 20.1% of the population a fall from 2009’s 23.5%.
The report credits the 2010 earthquake in neighbouring Haiti which destroyed much of the student infrastructure for the acceleration in migration to the Dominican Republic.
Despite constituting a fraction of the total student population, Middle Eastern, Colombian and European students are responsible for most consumption per capita in the country. Haitians, on the other hand, contribute the least amount per capita of the 11 nationalities included in the study.
Education consultants say the country’s Caribbean climate and “hidden gem” appeal have resulted in recent increased interest to study in the country.
Middle Eastern, Colombian and European students are responsible for most consumption per capita
Dominican Republic site specialist at US-based international education provider International Studies Abroad, Maddi Reising told The PIE News: “Throughout the past several years, the Dominican Republic has gained notoriety as a tourist destination, and we have seen a corresponding steady rise in the number of students participating on our Santiago programs since their inception in 2004.”
“It tends to attract students looking for an affordable, less-traditional Latin American study abroad destination, and offers an alternative to those students concerned about studying abroad in Mexico,” she added.
The research also shows that 70% of students’ expenditure went to non-academic costs such as housing, transport and food. And almost half (47.1%) of respondents say they are studying a medical degree. The second largest cohort (9.7%) study business administration.
Researchers collaborated with the most internationally populated universities in February of this year to distribute 1,500 questionnaires to the sample group which proportionally represents the nationalities of the entire international community.
The Universidad Tecnológica de Santiago has the largest population of international students, followed by Universidad Tecnológica de Santiago, Recinto Santo Domingo and Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra, Recinto Santo Tomás de Aquino.
