5 Questions to Ask the International Students Office at U.S. Colleges
When shopping for their choice of college, international students may not have the faintest idea of how to start narrowing their options.
With such a wide variety of places to study, making an informed choice of where to study in the U.S. may seem an overwhelming prospect.
For international students who don't know where to begin, or for those who have found a handful of places that seem equally good on paper, contacting the international students office at each of your shortlisted colleges is a good way of deciding which is the right place for you.
Here are five important questions it's worth posing to the international students office when trying to decide on a college:
[Find out four things to look for when picking a U.S. college.]
1. What is the class availability like at this college? Attending college is about accessing a rich and diverse educational system. While college websites might boast a course profile that looks perfect for you, it's always worth checking with the international students office to confirm how the applications for classes work.
Many popular courses at American colleges are in high demand and have long waiting lists. If you are an international student studying aboard on a temporary basis, there is a chance professors will be more likely to favor full-time students. The international students office will be able to advise you on how to maximize the class selection process and arrange the best possible schedule.
2. Does the college offer any scholarships for international students? Studying in America is many things, but being easy on the wallet is not one of them. Therefore it's always worth checking whether your colleges of choice offer any scholarships or financial aid opportunities to international students.
When I went to the University of California--Berkeley, I was awarded a scholarship that was a huge help to me during my year abroad. Being aware of the kind of fees and institution charges and having an idea of your financial options is always useful before applying to programs.
[Learn more about international students at U.S. colleges.]
3. What type of visa do I need? New international students can never do enough research about their visa options. Aside from informing prospective students about what type of visa will best suit their study abroad experience, the international students office will also be able to provide information on the first stages of the visa application process, and the all-important application deadlines.
4. What are the housing options for international students? Having had friends fly out to America at the beginning of the academic year only to find themselves forced into hostels for three weeks while they tried to finalize accommodations, I must reiterate that being proactive about finding somewhere to live is one of the most important things a student can do when preparing to study abroad.
Many colleges will provide a dorm for their international students, but not all of them do. The international house at UC--Berkeley was one of the most diverse hubs of the campus life, popular with both foreign and local students. It's well worth having an idea of your accommodation options.
[Here's what international students should know about on-campus housing.]
5. Are there any student representatives I can talk to? If you want some really valuable advice, it might be worth asking if the international students office can pass on your contact information to any current students. The greatest wealth of knowledge an applying student can source will always come from current international students.
Many international offices have student ambassadors who are more than happy to talk to prospective students and will be able to give a firsthand account of what it's like to be a foreign student at an American college.
The more research prospective international students do in their first stages of applying to colleges, the smoother the process will ultimately be. Students will only help themselves by being curious; and of course, study abroad is something students want to make as easy and enjoyable for themselves as possible.
Emily Burt, from the United Kingdom, studied at the University of California--Berkeley on an exchange program. She will graduate from the University of East Anglia in 2014 with a bachelor's in American literature and creative writing.
