&gt;&gt; Isn&#x27;t one of the drivers of this something to do with it being a path to work in the US after they (non-resident) get a degree?<p>&gt;This applies to undergraduate degrees, too. Therefore the argument that restricts it to Ph.D degrees is moot.<p>You seem to have ignored his second point. Yes, it applies to undergraduate degrees, but undergraduate degrees are attractive to residents as well. An undergraduate degree is helpful for getting a good job, whereas a Ph.D doesn&#x27;t doesn&#x27;t do much in that regard.