Group 7 pp international students

Counseling International Students

Group 7

Dana Barnes

McKenzie Cary

Marilyn Fitzpatrick

John Warburg

International Students

International students, sometimes referred to as foreign students, are students who enroll in post-secondary courses or programs outside of their country of origin.

In the United States, an international student is any student who is not a US citizen, immigrant or refugee.

International Studentsby the numbers

International Students in America

According to the Institute of Institutional Education: Open doors 2010 Fast Facts

The total U.S. Higher Education Enrollment for 09/10 was 19.562 m

690,923 international students came to the U.S. to study in 09/10 127,628 students from China 104,897 students from India 72,153 students from South Korea 28,145 students from Canada 26,685 students from Taiwan

International students and their families contributed approximately $18.776 billion to the U.S. economy.

Application Issues

International Students Must: Complete admissions process for the University Submit a signed completed international application with

application fee Submit a Certificate of Immunization form Provide an Official Transcript (or records showing a completed

high school diploma) along with English translation Provide proof of proficiency:

• Test English Foreign Language minimum score of 500 or

• Satisfactory completion of English as a Second Language Programv

Application Issues

Provide proof of financial support:• Financial Affidavit

• Budget

• Financial Statement

• Sponsor (with room and board)

Submit the Students and Exchange Visitor Information System Data Form

F-1 Visa for International student status or J-1 Visa Exchange students status

Form 1-20 Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student

International Students in Georgia

The University System of Georgia (USG) has enrolled over 19,000 International Students from nearly 200 countries in its 35 colleges and universities!

“The USG respects the important contributions that international students and scholars make to our colleges and universities, and it supports international communities on all of our campuses.”

International Students in Georgia

“The International Education mission of the University System of Georgia is to strengthen the global dimensions of teaching, learning, research, and service throughout the University System of Georgia. The goals are to ensure that all USG students attain an appropriate level of international knowledge and understanding that enables them to participate fully and successfully in a global society, and to provide professional development opportunities for faculty and staff to create expanding levels of international knowledge at System institutions.”

Georgia International Student Statistics

In the United States, Georgia ranks 13th in number of Int’l Students

Georgia Institute of Technology has over 4,000 international students

University of Georgia has over 1,800 international students

Tuition and fees from international students $296.3m

Living expenses for students and dependents $256.9m

International students approximate total contributions based on enrollment data $383.9m

International Studentschallenges faced

Challenges for International Students

Academic change

Culture shock

Finances

Academic Change

Expectations are different from that of the students home country Academic Honesty: Clearly define what plagiarism and

cheating entails Assignments: Instructions must be very detailed oriented

as to what the expected outcome should be Classroom Etiquette: Policies such as attendance, dress,

forms of address, and behavior should be discussed

Culture Shock: Cultural Differences

Friendships: While current events are spoken of, most personal issues are not

Dress: Will typically be informal unless specified otherwise. Also some clothing is mandatory and appropriate.

Greetings: Issues of space and contact may come into play

Schedules: Punctuality is stressed more in the US and Canada

Culture Shock

Symptoms: Extreme homesickness Depression Stress Irritability Withdrawal from people who differ from the student Physical illness

Counseling International Students

In other cultures counseling for issues is frowned upon. It is the job of university professionals to be on the lookout for symptoms of culture shock.

Six phases suggested for helping students Disarm, Discover, Dream, Design, Deliver, and Don’t

settle

Financial Concerns

Universities ask that international students have a substantial amount of money in their accounts prior to acceptance, but afterwards students still need more for living expenses beyond tuition.

Finding employment can be difficult and sometimes impossible due to visa issues

International Students academic issues

Learning Styles

The different classroom culture is a major issue for international students. This is most apparent in the relationship between students and faculty.

In several foreign countries, the professor is the authority.

Students are not permitted to challenge, question, or disagree with the professor.

Learning Styles

Students in foreign countries cannot offer their own opinions and they do not discuss issues.

Class participation does not seem to occur because students are expected to absorb information.

However, in the United States, students are taught to express their opinions because it is valued and is often a significant part of their grades.

Adjustment issues

International students often have adjustment issues in the classroom because they are not accustomed to speaking out and it is more challenging if English is their second language.

Informality in the classroom is another daily occurrence that causes stress for many international students.

Adjustment Issues (continued)

International students have never been in a learning environment where the instructor sits around casually with students.

They are not used to students drinking soda in class and walking in late or leaving early.

Also, they are confused about the concept of group work.

Adjustment Issues (continued)

Many adjustment problems of international students are relatively unknown to faculty in colleges of the United States.

Therefore, faculty development workshops and seminars should be arranged to increase understanding of international students and to develop supportive response patterns to them.

References

Kadison,R. & Digeronimo, T.F. (2004). College of the Overwhelmed: The Campus Mental Health Crisis and What to do About It. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Selvadurai, R. (Fall 1991, Spring 1992). Problems faced by international students in American colleges and universities. Community Review, 12, 27-33.

http://www.columbia.edu/cu/tat/handout12.html

http://www.ehow.com/info_7960240_challenges-students-face-american-universities.html

http://dus.psu.edu/mentor/090909ep.htm

References

http://www.uwec.edu/counsel/pubs/shock.htm

http://www.nafsa.org/_/File/_/eis2010/usa.pdf

Institute of International Education. (2010). "International Students by Primary Source of Funding, 2008/09-2009/10." Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange. Retrieved from http://www.iie.org/opendoors