NotSpyderman

Two common fallacies: thinking that a phenomenon is explained exclusively or predominantly by one variable, and deriving conclusions from a sample of 1.
 
All of the reasons you mention and many more factor into why you don't see as many international students pursuing English degrees. By the way, if you open up your search to Comp Lit or foreign language degrees, the proportion of internationals will increase. Note also that humanities programs tend to be much smaller than science programs: that 17% international statistic may reflect 1 foreign student in 5, or 17 foreign students in 100. Admission in the humanities also works differently from admission in the sciences; sadly, things like prestige, cultural capital, social and research conventions matter a lot more in the humanities, and most international students don't excel in those attributes.

Barring something unexpected, English PhD at UC Davis for me.

Let me tell you a bit about myself. I have a Bachelors in Engineering in Computer Engg. An international student from the middle of nowhere, I had only attended a few non-degree courses at a top-ish US univs in English, with decent-ish grades. I worked for a whole year, without ANY degree in English (or a related subject), having not given GRE Subject, trying to build a case about my suitability for digital humanities studies. I was applying only for English PhD programs and of the 10 places I applied, 9 rejected me. With such a profile (or the lack of one) and a background that involved a more weird career turn than yours, I had no reason to expect an admit. I got into UC Davis, but had I been rejected ( was perfectly plausible, and I was thinking everyone had rejected me until last week), there was no way I was thinking "I am not good enough." If anything, it just says "I MAY not be good enough right now."
 
Our lives are long and unpredictable; there is virtue in chugging along and believing in ourselves, as long as we give ourselves enough elbow-room to demand improvement from self.
 
If you want it badly enough, you'd work towards getting it, and there is a decent chance you'd get it. Rejections are the last bits of paper I'd use to judge myself. And breakups and emotional stress may feel connected to your academic scenario, but they really aren't. Keep those thoughts aside while you think about your academic/professional life.
 
There are multiple ways of going at it again, and you mention some of these. None is better than the other (general rule: don't take on a lot of debt, tho.) It depends on where you want to go, and how you think your case will be strengthened by one or the other of these options. Also, depends on what would you rather want to do.
 
Dust yourself up, and move on. You'd do better things in life, that's a surety.

OK. Thanks everyone. *heartbeat back to normal*

Hi,
I applied to a number of places for DH-New media types studies. My interests in Digital Humanities are quite flexible, and tend to steer towards the qualitative in the digital rather than the quantitative in the analog. I have so far been rejected from every place bar one, UC Davis. Which happens to have a growing DH scene. I was hoping for an acceptance from elsewhere so I am still not sure as to whether I will take up the offer. But yes, would be great to connect with other DHers.
 
Also, among other great schools, I'd seriously suggest looking at UChicago. Stanford (obv) and Columbia have a great program as well, as do Duke, UTA and Brown.