Spokesman Sean McCormack said the worst shooting rampage in U.S. history was an aberration and could not take away from world-class educations provided by American colleges and universities.

"The United States is a popular destination, for good reason, for foreign students," he told reporters. "It is a good environment for students to explore boundaries of knowledge, contribute to a body of knowledge in their given area of study.

"This incident was a terrible tragedy," McCormack said, noting that officials at all levels from local to federal worked to ensure all students are able to "study and thrive in a safe environment."

"This is a case the likes of which we have not seen in this country, ever before, so, in that sense, is it unique," McCormack said. "But on the whole, this is a place where I expect foreign students will want to continue to come to study."