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What is an International-Student Friendly Institution?

An international-student friendly institution is one that recognizes that in an increasingly interdependent world there is educational value in having international students on the campus. The institution has made a commitment to diversity among the student body and understands that international students represent a key element in that commitment to diversity.

An international-student friendly institution has been approved by the Department of Homeland Security to enroll international students and issue student and/or exchange visitor visa-qualifying documents (I-20/DS-2019). It complies with all regulations promulgated by the U.S. Government pertaining to the enrollment and tracking of international students under the SEVIS Program.

An international-student friendly institutions is one that has a special section on its website for students from other nations. This section offers guidance and assistance to those who may be unfamiliar with the complexity of U.S. higher education and the international student admissions process. It offers the information in a format easily understood by those new to the U.S. system. To ensure that prospective international students receive appropriate assistance with this complex undertaking, the section also refers the students to the nearest EducationUSA advising center or to the EducationUSA website (educationUSA.state.gov).

An international-student friendly institution does all it can to ensure that the leadership of the institution and the professional staff who deal with international students are aware of and actively engaged in the many legal, regulatory, educational, and cultural issues that concern international educational exchange. To achieve this objective, the institution maintains membership in appropriate international educational exchange associations or organizations.

An international-student friendly institution is one that facilitates the presence of international students on its campus within all appropriate legal and ethical guidelines governing the admission of international students. It employs professional staff in the admissions office dedicated, at least part-time, to the admission of non-immigrant students from other nations. The institution does all it can to ensure that each application for admission from a prospective international student is treated with the special care and expertise it merits and requires.

An international-student friendly institution is one that does all it can to ensure that the international students who enroll are provided with various forms of specialized assistance designed to ensure success in their studies and their stay in the U.S. Toward that end, the institution employs professional staff whose primary goal is the successful academic, linguistic, psychological, and cultural adjustment of each international student who enrolls on the campus.

Specific Activities/Programs of an International-Student Friendly Institution

• Offers a separate orientation for new international students to ensure that their initial adjustment needs are met
• Ensures that there are housing options for new international students
• Makes a special effort to integrate international students into the mainstream of student life on campus and into the local community
• Provides options for additional English instruction for non-native speakers if needed
• Provides emergency housing options for international students during vacation periods
• Provides access to a local host family program or creates one to serve the needs of international students the institution enrolls.

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