Cross-Border Community College Students: A Headcount Estimate

Abstract

Cross-border students who live in Mexico and attend classes in the United States are an unexplored student population in community colleges. In fact, there is no reliable headcount for this group of students in the United States, making it difficult to plan strategies and allocate resources to serve them. The reason for the lack of accurate records is that cross-border commuter students often provide a local address in their application rather than the address that matches where they live in Mexico. This study examined survey data to estimate cross-border student headcount in one community college district located in the United States near the border with Mexico. Findings show that cross-border students accounted for 4.2% to 6% of students enrolled in the Spring of 2022. This finding informs policy and institutional planning. Colleges located near the border can conduct similar research to estimate the number of cross-border students they serve.