The number of international students at US colleges and universities rose 7 per cent to a record high in the past academic year, according to a report that will be released on Monday.

The growth is a small bright spot for American higher education, which has in recent years lost its edge in attracting the most talented foreign students, as other countries – such as the UK, Canada, France and Australia – have boosted their investment in graduate education and embarked on campaigns to recruit top domestic and international students.