NEW YORK, Nov 10: Despite tighter visa regulations imposed by the US Justice Department the number of foreign students enrolled in public research universities rose modestly since the Sept 11 attacks, according to a survey released on Sunday.

However, the survey said some male prospective students from Middle Eastern countries as well as Pakistan, Malaysia and Indonesia were unable to obtain student visas in time for the fall semester.

Enrolment of international undergraduate students this fall rose an average of 1.4 per cent over the fall of 2001, according to the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges (NASULGC).

Foreign graduate student enrolments rose by 7.1 per cent.

The organization said it surveyed fall enrolments of international students and foreign faculty members at 50 public universities.

Although international student enrolment rose, NASULGC also found that institutions and students were facing lengthy delays in the processing of visas and social security numbers.

Sixty-three per cent of the respondents reported problems dealing with the Social Security Administration over the past few months as the agency enforced its policy of not issuing social security numbers to international students until the Immigration and Naturalization Service verifies their enrolment, the survey said.

Others reported instance in which previously enrolled students were having trouble returning to the United States to complete their studies after having gone home.

The survey found that many of the schools were seeing a decrease in male students and an increase in female students. Respondents attributed the shift to greater scrutiny given to male applicants for visas.

However, the major educational institutions in large cities like New York and Chicago have seen a drop in enrolment and are cautiously suggesting that the Bush administration review the process to allow students to get visas in time for the semesters.