Harvard University in Massachusetts, United States. [File photo: Xinhua]

The number of international students attending U.S. colleges and universities exceeded one million for the first time during the 2015-16 academic year, with 31.5 percent of them coming from China.

According to the 2016 Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange, released on Monday by the Institute of International Education, the number of overseas students is up 85 percent on ten years ago, to nearly 1,044,000, representing five percent of the total student population at U.S. institutions.

The figures show China remains the top sending country, followed by India, Saudi Arabia and South Korea.

Students from these four countries represent nearly 60 percent of the international students in the United States.

"The Open Doors findings show that international students value the quality, diversity and strong reputation of U.S. institutions and recognize that these institutions will give them opportunities that can help them not only in their education but also in their careers," said Allan Goodman, President and CEO of the Institute of International Education, at the launch of the report.

Goodman also placed value on the knowledge about the world international students bring to the US. "The more we can open doors to other cultures for our students, the better off our country and our world will be," he said.