U.S. Higher Education: Opportunities for International Students and the

College Culture & Environment

Jennifer Himmelstein

Specific Sponsorship Programs

• Fulbright Foreign Research Scholarship Fellow Program (Ph.D. level)

• Fulbright Foreign Student Program• Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching

Assistant Program (FLTA)• Edmund S. Muskie Graduate Fellowship

program• The Global Undergraduate Exchange

Program (Global UGRAD)

Other Strategies• University Exchange Programs/Study Abroad:– Institute of international Education– International Research and Exchanges Board– Association for International Practical Training

• University Specific International Student Programs e.g. ERA Senegal Virginia Tech

• Contacting University Professors Directly– Research Assistantships– Teaching Assistantships

Where do I go?

• Around 15% of graduate-level students in the US are international (Council of Graduate Schools)

• Can look at national university rankings to pick school

• Majority of accredited U.S. colleges are good (take location, school size, and courses offered into account)

• Many schools offer services for people who do not have English as their 1st language

University Culture

• Need to be internally motivated– Classes are mostly PowerPoint– Deadlines are not flexible

• Very test driven (not participatory)• Might have to do group projects• Diverse student body-race, intellect, opinions

etc.

Undergraduate Student Life• Live in dorms• Eat in large dining halls• Join clubs/teams• Internships and skill building (volunteer work,

professional societies) are important• Find your niche/support network

Graduate Student Life

• Smaller circle of friends-department is your ‘community’

• Not as many clubs/groups available for graduate students

• Rarely provide student housing, rent apartment/flat and cook for yourself

• Make the most of your experience!!• Mixture of classes/teaching/research• Join professional societies & attend

conferences/meetings (network!)

Questions?