An International Dilemma

International student life- when you hear this, do you think of struggle or opportunity?  Sure, we international transplants made a choice to come here to study… Yes we accepted the challenges that international student life comes with...  However, as higher education professionals, I believe it is our responsibility to do what we can to assist these high-achieving students in reaching their fullest potential. The struggle, I argue, is in how we fail to be wholly inclusive of international perspectives and the opportunity is presented by the abundance of knowledge these individuals offer.

International students often pay twice if not three times as much as domestic students for the same education.  In Georgia, where I currently serve, an international student would pay $43,421, compared to the U.S. nationals (assuming State residency) cost of attendance at $25,134.  This $43, 421 does not reflect the fact that students who are studying in the United States on an F-1 (or similar) visa are not eligible for federal need-based aid and thus federal work study jobs.  International students also have higher estimated costs due to travel, international student health insurance requirements, and other added expenses.  Often times, these associated expenses do not take into account exchange rates, which for most internationals do not work in our favor. In a similar vein, few schools offer international student scholarships.  So what? Why do we come here and why is it on all us of to make things better?

This post is not meant to be a pity party, but as a foreign national, I seek to enlighten my colleagues and peers of the true plight facing international students. Given the enormous financial responsibility, it is no wonder that the students that choose to study in the US are truly the cream of the crop. Those who consider a college education as an investment and a particularly risky one when done so outside one’s home country.

So what does this mean for us in higher education and student affairs?  It means that whenever we work with international students, we must recognize that they may be dealing with unfamiliar and often external pressures to succeed.  It is important that we actively seek ways to support international students and that there must be collaboration between dedicated international student life offices and all other departments both academic and student affairs. 

Here are my three tips for successfully serving international student populations no matter your position--

1. Stop treating us as though we are unable to effectively communicate...​
   • While there are many international students for whom English is not their first language, we all had to prove English language competency prior to enrolment.  So no, you do not need to color code your emails or to repeat information ten times unless we specifically ask for that assistance.  By doing so, you make us feel as though you do not think of us as intelligent or as equals. As higher education professionals, this is problematic on multiple fronts.​
2. Listen to Us! 
   • ​​I have heard from countless peers that as “foreigners,” we can feel unheard.  Though we are contributing financially, intellectually and otherwise to this great nation, and our campuses, our voices seem to be easily ignored.  We, internationals, have thoughts and opinions that should be valued.  Hear us when we speak.
3. Recognize that there are enough laws and restrictions associated with us being here, and avoid adding anymore undue burden!
   • ​​As an F1 student, there are numerous regulations to comply with in order to remain in good status.  Every time that you make a change to your degree program, be it adding a minor, changing a major, dropping a class, you have to make your Designated School Official (DSO) aware and a new I-20 will be issued to you.  Within 10 days of moving, you must update your SEVIS address or face the consequences.  You cannot work off-campus without authorization, and if your work does not meet the requirements for either CPT (Co-curricular Practical Training) or OPT (Optional Practical Training), you will not obtain permission.  These are just a few of the stipulations that come with being an international student, we respect it and just want others to help in any way that they can to make life easier. This could come in the form of thinking critically about program costs and inclusivity within an academic program.

Though I list these three areas of improvement across Higher Education, my goal is not to say that we’re not good enough, contrastingly it is to show that we can be better. Adding international student and employee perspectives, making sure we have a seat the table, or are even mentioned in decision making processes can do quite a bit to improve our on campus experiences.

Join the discussion on twitter (#ACPACASHE) and tell me what have been your experiences and what youwould add to this list?