The International Students Office–An Important Resource on Campus
s you prepare for study in the United States, you will have many questions. You will need to learn about U.S. customs and values, academic requirements for your studies, and community facilities for medical care, banking, shopping, and amusements. You will obtain some information before you leave for the United States, but most of the important questions can only be answered once you have arrived on a U.S. campus.
This brochure describes the International Students Office, an important source of information and assistance at most colleges and universities admitting students from other countries. (On some campuses, this office will have another name: the Foreign Students Office, The Office of International Educational Services, or the International Center, for example.) The purpose of the International Students Office is to assist you while you are in the United States. You should visit the office when you have questions and concerns. If you are a sponsored student you should visit this office when you first arrive. Tell the staff that you are a sponsored student. They may have a special adviser for you. This brochure will help you to become familiar with the role of the International Students Office and its services to foreign students. Once you arrive on campus, you can also obtain valuable information by reading the school newspaper; looking at announcements on bulletin boards around campus; talking with classmates, professors, and local residents; and reading helpful publications.
The person in the International Students Office you will work with most often will be the foreign student adviser (FSA). The duties of FSAs vary from one campus to another, but most advisers are responsible for providing assistance on immigration matters, coordinating all campus and community services available to foreign students, providing liaison with sponsoring agencies and foreign governments, and promoting interaction between foreign students and the university and local community.
Foreign student advisers are willing to discuss matters with the students who come to see them, even very personal concerns or problems. All discussions with advisers remain strictly confidential. If the FSA cannot provide the help you need, you will be referred to an appropriate source of assistance. In order for the adviser to help you most effectively, it is important that you contact him or her when you first become aware that a problem might be developing rather than when it has become extremely serious.
Foreign student advisers will help you in a variety of ways. Questions you have about academic procedures, expectations, and requirements can be discussed with the FSA, who can help you understand the differences between the U.S. educational system and that of your home country. The FSA can tell you about community activities that will orient you to U.S. lifestyles and customs and introduce you to community residents. The FSA can help you get involved in activities on or off campus. Assistance is also provided on such U.S. immigration matters as visa requirements and regulations, school transfers, extensions of stay, travel outside the United States, work permission, and practical training. General or specific questions on immigration may be referred to the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS); you will be told how to contact the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) concerning the taxes you may have to pay.
For all of these reasons and more, the International Students Office will be an important place to you during your stay in the United States. You should contact the foreign student adviser, or another staff member of the International Students Office staff, if you have questions about any of the matters outlined in this brochure. You will find valuable assistance upon arriving on campus, while pursuing your studies, and in preparing for your return home. The following inventory will give you an idea of some of the services offered at the International Students Office.
Upon Arriving on Campus
Housing
Assistance with securing temporary or permanent housing, if you arrive without arrangements.
On-campus meal contract, if appropriate.
Enrollment
University requirements for registration, such as medical examinations or reviews, checking your English language competency, buying mandatory health insurance, and an initial interview at the International Students Office. Requirements and procedures vary from one institution to another. Plan to visit the office early to learn whether there are special requirements before registration day.
Special immigration problems or regulations.
Personal assistance with the admission and registration process, if necessary.
Academic Program: The Role of the Academic Adviser
Your educational objectives and questions regarding course requirements.
Interaction with your academic adviser.
The requirements of your academic program and for satisfying the English language requirements.
Orientation sessions on such topics as the role of the International Students Office, the role of the community organizations, the role of the academic adviser, features of U.S. higher education such as credits and hours, the process of registration for classes, and issues of a cross-cultural nature.
Campus Activities
Orientation to campus events and organizations.
Activities fairs.
Trips to university facilities and offices.
Community Activities
Homestay with an American family.
Participation in activities orienting you to the U.S. community.
Orientation to the school system and educational opportunities for family members.
Welcoming parties.
Personal Concerns
Culture shock and homesickness.
Health services available to you on and off campus.
Meeting other students from your home country.
Immigration or visa matters related to your arrival or stay.
Liaison with your program or government sponsor about immediate concerns and needs.
Orientation to various community services, such as library, day care centers, stores, banks, and transportation, and to automobile requirements (licensing, insurance, etc.).
Legal matters, such as signing a housing contract.
While pursuing your studies
Academic Program
Information on special enrollment needs, such as prerequisite courses, placement or proficiency examinations, and English language courses.
Your academic progress, satisfactory or not.
Advising. If your grades are low or if you are considering a reduced course load, consult the FSA.
Your relationship with your sponsor, if appropriate. The FSA serves as a liaison between your academic adviser, your sponsor, and you on your progress toward your educational goals.
Special needs for remedial services, such as communication skills, tutoring, and note-taking skills.
Campus Activities
Participation in nationality organizations, international clubs, and campus and departmental activities.
Use of the athletic facilities and participation in sports programs.
Community Activities
Opportunities in the community for you to share your knowledge of your home country and culture. The FSA often knows of schools, churches, and civic groups interested in having a foreign student speak or perform at a meeting.
Opportunities to meet American families (host families, friendship families) and to learn more about U.S. culture.
Opportunities to visit industrial plants, museums, historical sites, and farms, and to attend cultural and recreational events.
Opportunities to involve your spouse in social and educational activities, such as English classes.
Opportunities to increase English language proficiency through a conversation program.
Vacation travel, particularly at Christmas and during spring break.
Personal Concerns
Adjustments to U.S. society and education.
Use of the campus counseling or mental health center, if appropriate.
Special assistance, as in the case of medical or other emergencies.
Driver’s licensing information.
Changes in your tuition or living expenses as well as financial problems. The FSA can assist you in planning your budget and making financial decisions.
Sources of financial assistance, such as scholarships, assistantships, grants, and employment opportunities, if necessary.
Marital or family problems.
Your legal rights and responsibilities, as well as legal matters that concern you. The FSA can refer you to legal counsel.
Certifications of enrollment for matters such as the transfer of funds and the deferral of military requirements.
Problems related to the transfer of money for your educational expenses.
Immigration
Immigration regulations and requirements concerning extension of stay permits, school transfers, visas, passports, work permission, etc.
Appropriate forms for reentering the United States after a visit abroad.
Taxes
Information on whether you might need to pay U.S. federal and state income taxes. Please consult with both your adviser and your sponsor.
Referral, if necessary, to the Internal Revenue Service publications numbers 515, 519, 520, and 901, and also to the revenue and taxation department of your state.
In preparing for your return home
Academic Program
Arrangements for the final stages of your academic program, such as any required short-term extensions.
Predeparture details required by your sponsor and the U.S. government.
Campus Activities
Predeparture seminars through campus or other groups.
Verification of the accuracy of university records, such as for your home address. This information will help the International Students Office maintain contact with you after you leave.
Information on your institution’s alumni in your home country or region. Obtaining these names and addresses may be valuable to you upon your return home.
Registration with the alumni office before your departure.
Personal Concerns
Financial difficulties affecting your departure.
Travel and shipping of household goods and belongings.
Discussion of your U.S. educational experience. This discussion should help the FSA and you evaluate your academic and personal progress and satisfaction.
Your professional plans and personal expectations for the future.
Preparing for the readjustment you will face as you return to your country and family.
Immigration
Final requirements regarding your sailing permit, forwarding address, tax regulations, and immigration status.
Early in your stay in the United States, you should visit the International Students Office on your college or university campus to introduce yourself to the foreign student adviser and other staff members and to become familiar with the services and publications available to you. Whenever you have a question or need assistance, the International Students Office staff will be able to answer your questions or direct you to the appropriate person. Remember that it is your responsibility to obtain the information you need, but there are many people and resources available to assist you during your stay in the United States.
This brochure is based on material that originally appeared in the 1975 NAFSA publication, A Guide for the Education of Foreign Students, eds. August G. Benson and Joseph W. Kovach.
Funding for this publication was provided by the Office of International Training, U.S. Agency for International Development, through a Cooperative Agreement with NAFSA.
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