INTRODUCTION

Carlos Manuel Haro, Ph.D
Assistant Dean, International Studies and Overseas Programs
University of California, Los Angeles
Executive Officer, SOCCIS

Michael D. Fels, Ph.D.
Director, International Programs and Services
California State University, Los Angeles

This report is about international (foreign) students who study in the United States, particularly in Southern California and specifically at five institutions in the Los Angeles Area-the University of Southern California, California State University Long Beach, Santa Monica College, California State University Los Angeles, and the University of California, Los Angeles. These include institutions representing each level of the California State public postsecondary education system and a private institution.

The report is organized into case studies that give the reader an insider's view of how these very different institutions go about the business of providing services to their students. The author of each case study has tried to give insight first into how services are provided and then into the rationale underlying these services. The five institutions serve a total of approximately 10,500 non-immigrant foreign students.

An important reference to find facts and figures about foreign students is in the Institute of International Education's annual Report on International Educational Exchange, known as Open Doors . For example, Open Doors cites the percentage of male foreign students in the USA as having dropped from 69.2% in 1976-77 to 58.1% in 1997-98; there were 203,068 foreign students 1976-77 and there are over 481,280 today; in 1959-60, there were 6,457 undergraduate foreign students in California whereas there are 65,292 today; Japan, with 47,073 students, sends the most students to the United States, and, after Japan, are China, Korea, India, and Taiwan in rank order. Open Doors is an indispensable almanac and is available on most campuses or directly from the IIE.

However, the case studies included in this report are less about numbers and more about what happens when these thousands of students actually appear on our doorsteps. What services are provided? What challenges are faced? How, if at all, do students with visas differ from those without? To what extent does/should the University attempt to integrate foreign students into its normal pallet of programs and services? What assumptions drive programs? What issues underlie the enrollment of large numbers of international students? Is "it" really about more than enhanced revenues or keeping faculty employed? If not, is that OK? As you read these papers, we hope that you will keep some of these questions in mind.

Although most of us in the field of international education exchange assume that there is an implicit academic value for domestic students to be found in the presence of large numbers of foreign students, the case is largely built on anecdote and intuition. "It's good because we do it" isn't sufficient justification to formulate policy or to develop priorities. If we believe there is a positive impact on the educational experiences of domestic students because of the presence of international students, we need to get beyond platitudes and do the research necessary to prove it. On the other hand, if the presence of large numbers of foreign students are primarily a boon to a university's fiscal standing rather than to its educational status, then we need to be clear about that and do what it takes to build large, well financed programs that support the strategic needs of our institutions. In the best of worlds, we should be able to make clear, well-documented cases that rest on both of these propositions. But, if we fail to do either the research or the math, we are being less than candid at best and we risk being unable to successfully counter new and potent challenges in the worst case.

Some of these challenges are as follows:
· the cluster of new instructional technologies, such as web-based instruction, that make it unnecessary for students physically to come to the campus;
· the development of student mobility schemes in Europe and other places that have not been matched by similar efforts in the Americas;
· the growing reality that English is the world academic and commercial language;
· the development of national policies in countries such as Australia that have led to student visas becoming easier to obtain;
· the development of large, new kinds of for-profit institutions such as the University of Phoenix and small start-up institutions that attract students from one particular country such as Ivy University with its Chinese students;
· finally, as Chancellor Young of UCLA pointed out in 1992 , though the U.S. is among the least traveled and most culturally unaware of the industrialized countries of the world, we receive almost six times as many students as we send to other countries.

As you read through the institutional "snap shots" that follow this introduction, you might want to reflect on some of the following assumptions that we found built into these "snap shots." These assumptions, if put into researchable form, could be validated through scholarly investigation:

· The presence of foreign students at US institutions of higher education is positive for domestic students.
· It is desirable to integrate foreign students with domestic students.
· Foreign students have difficulty forming friendships with US students.
· Domestic students in public institutions are often from lower socio-economic levels and are less well prepared academically then their foreign-student counterparts.
· Foreign students need special help if they are going to survive at US institution of higher education.
· U.S. institutions must assume some programmatic responsibility to help foreign students reach their academic goals.
· Foreign students benefit from being connected with community groups and local families.
· Traditional international banquets and international fairs are positive components of foreign student campus life.
· The traditional campus "international day" is anathema to modern foreign students.
· The understandings that occur from interactions between foreign and domestic students equip students for responsible citizenship in the U.S. and globally in the 21st century.
· Foreign students who return to their home countries will develop economic policies and practices favorable to the US.
· The funds students spend at the University and the surrounding communities are significant.
· The larger the number of foreign students on a campus, the smaller the likelihood they will make close friends with domestic students.
· Foreign students who are transfers are more likely to be drawn to immigrant communities and less likely to participate in traditional campus life.
· Faculty can assist the development of cross-cultural understanding and friendships through assigning team-focused project assignments.
· The families of many foreign students expect them to stay in the U.S. and become permanent residents.
· Foreign students frequently import racist, sexist, or classist attitudes to the host campus.
· Transfer foreign students do not need special, programmatic assistance (other than with USINS issues).

That's quite a list and put in proper form, could become a research agenda for those prepared and willing to take it on.

"What's the problem?" you ask. "We've got more international students than ever bringing more money than ever into our colleges and universities. That's got to be good."

In fact, it might be. But without a well-grounded understanding of the actual consequences of our institutional behavior, including an analysis of the secondary effects that constitute an important if overlooked component of a traditional cost/benefit analysis, we should not be sanguine about our actions. Secondary effects are often difficult to identify and measure, but if they can be identified, they should be calculated into the overall cost/benefit of having foreign students on campus. For example, does a secondary effect accrue to China when many of the students it sends to the U.S. stay on and become expatriates? Does a secondary effect accrue to U.S. students who can't compete in math and science with better-prepared foreigners? Does a secondary effect accrue to California when prestigious public institutions cannot admit all qualified domestic students who apply yet still admit foreign students? Does a secondary effect accrue to domestic students when landlords learn they can charge foreign students higher rents than local students and drive up the cost of housing? Finally, as Chancellor Young of UCLA asked, are we undermining our own country's economic competitiveness by offering educational opportunities to so many foreign students and will education costs increase for domestic students because of the trend of charging foreign students the full cost of education? The questions go on and on.

Some other developments in the wake of September 11th also deserve in-depth consideration as they are closely related to the topics addressed in these five case studies. The issue of visas for foreign students has become a subject of national importance in the U.S. In early April, the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) decided to limit the length of time visitors (including foreign students) stay in the U.S. from six months to thirty days. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-California) has a proposal before Congress that calls for a six-month moratorium on all visas for new foreign students coming to the U.S. The U.S. Department of State recently amended its "automatic revalidation of visa" provision to exclude "aliens who apply for new visas during [short visits to other North American countries] and aliens who are nationals of countries identified as state sponsors of terrorism." There are also several proposals being floated in Washington D.C. to either overhaul or break up the INS to deal more effectively with enforcement and immigration services. Such trends' potential to impact international student exchange negatively is of vital concern to American colleges and universities, but not the only developments these schools take into account.

The most recent Open Doors survey illustrates that there are many more positive trends than negative ones in relation to international student exchange following September 11th. According to the survey, the academic year 2000-2001 saw a 6.4% rise in the numbers of international students enrolled in U.S. institutions of higher education. This increase is the largest since 1980. Application rates for foreign students at many American universities were up between 16 and 24 percent in the 2000-2001 academic year. Long-term goals such as the strengthening of "cooperative efforts to address global problems that could one day pose as great a threat as terrorism" could be achieved by making sure this recent increase in the numbers of international students in the U.S. is not rapidly reversed.

A letter from Secretary of State Colin Powell to Dr. Myles Brand the President of Indiana University reinforces this point about the future benefits that can accrue to the U.S. from today's international students. As the Secretary of State notes, "students and scholars from other countries gain from our society and academic institutions, they also serve as resources for our campuses and communities, helping our citizens to develop the international understanding needed to strengthen our long-term national security." In terms utilized by the Open Door survey, higher education is the U.S.' fifth largest export, bringing more than $11 billion to the domestic economy. Patricia S. Harrison, Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs, discussed the results of the Open Door2000-2001 survey by remarking that "exchange programs…help build stronger relationships between countries, governments and peoples." Economic benefits, diplomatic linkages, and as yet intangible advantages that international student exchange brings the U.S. all factor into our considerations as we evaluate the rationale for foreign student programs at American colleges and universities.

Anecdotal information collected by the Institute for International Education in association with its Open Door survey shows that most programs related to international students and area studies continue despite the cancellation of a small number of programs in the wake of September 11th. Very few foreign students in the U.S. have returned abruptly to their home countries, enrollment numbers for international students remain strong, and "a noticeable new interest in international issues in general and Islam and its teachings in particular" has emerged. This renewed interest in regions of Asia was also evident at an Open Doors Press Conference at the National Press Club in Washington D.C. on November 13, 2001.

Both the November 13, 2001 Open Doors Press Conference and the Open Doors survey provide support for the immense role Asia has come to play in international educational exchange with the U.S. Students from Asia make up over 51% of all international enrollments in the U.S. The academic year 2000-2001 saw an 8% increase in students from this region, thereby bringing the total number of students from Asia to 302,058. The state of California hosts the most international students in the nation and experienced a more than 12% increase in international student enrollment for the 2000-2001 academic year. This increase was the strongest among all the states in the U.S.

Economically, these increases in enrollment numbers for international students from Asia also translate into dollars. International students provide $11 billion or more to the U.S. economy through the money they spend on tuition, fees, related costs, and living expenses. 67% of these international students receive most of their funds from family and personal sources rather than U.S. grants. Because 75% of all international students receive their funding from sources outside the U.S., the Department of Commerce "considers educational services to be one of the country's largest service sector exports."

Shifts in enrollment numbers of international students from particular Asian countries also reflect the growing importance of this geographic region to both world politics and international educational exchange. China and India topped the list for numbers of international students in the U.S. in the academic year 2000-2001. China was the leader of sending countries for the third year in a row. The number of students it sent to the U.S. increased by 10% while the number of students from India increased by more than 29%. For the first time, India surpassed Japan in the number of students sent to the U.S., but this is understandable in the aftermath of the Asian financial crisis and economic downturn.

A final remark from the November 13, 2001 Open Doors Press Conference sums up a point whose importance cannot be stressed sufficiently-it is the long-term and not the short-term perspective that ought to prevail on debates over international educational exchange during troubled times. Todd Davis, the representative at the press conference, concluded his speech by saying, "We have seen enrollments grow during other troubled passages in our National History…During the Korean conflict, the Vietnam War…the Cold War…the Oil Crisis of the 70s…and the Persian Gulf War. In each of these cases enrollment flows may have shifted between particular places but through all they have grown…At this juncture we need to remind ourselves of our enduring strengths [one of which is our higher education system]." In effect, as the Open Doors Press Conference and the other documents utilized for this introduction emphasize, continued efforts to strengthen international educational exchange is in America's long-term strategic and economic interests. What remains is to weigh the probable gains against potential risks and render solutions that benefit the interests of U.S. higher education while keeping the nation safe.

In light of these developments that deserve further consideration, we found these five case studies interesting and, in their own way, provocative. It is hoped that reading them will stimulate your interest to think further about this special niche in higher education and the role it will play in America's future as a nation.

Back to Top

THE PRESENCE AND THE IMPORTANCE OF FOREIGN STUDENTS
AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

Dixon C. Johnson, Ph.D.
Director, International Students and Scholars

Since the 1880s USC has been proud to enroll students from around the world. For more than twenty years we have been among the leading universities in the country in terms of number of foreign students and fall 1998 we enrolled 4278 non-immigrant students from 105 countries. These students make-up 15.4 per cent of the student body. Roughly two-thirds of these students are studying for graduate degrees and the most popular majors at both the undergraduate and graduate levels are Electrical Engineering, Computer Science and Business Administration. Countries sending the largest delegations are Taiwan, China, South Korea and India.

We pride ourselves on being an international university and offering a campus environment where students have the opportunity to interact with persons from all over the world. We believe that the understanding that occurs as a result of this interaction in classrooms, laboratories, libraries, residence halls, and throughout the campus, serves to equip students for responsible citizenship both in this country and globally in the 21st century.

We know that following their studies many of these students will return to their homelands. There they will be agents for national development, with a familiarity with American methods, products and services. At a time when economics seems to be an important part of any foreign policy decision, this familiarity and its impact on trade and purchase decisions is of importance.

While a majority of the doctoral students are on USC assistantships, most master's students and all but a handful of the undergraduates, are completely self-, or family-supported. We estimate that these students spent close to $50 million in direct education-related payments to the university and an additional $40 million off-campus during the 1997-98 academic year.

Admissions Criteria and Process for Foreign Students

The central admissions office handles the academic admissions process for most undergraduates, while admissions decisions for graduate students are made in the individual academic departments, following preliminary review by Admissions. Because of their ineligibility for most forms of financial aid, both graduate and undergraduates who are academically admitted are not sent the final admissions decision until they provide proof of adequate finances to cover anticipated costs.

Generally, freshmen applicants must have a minimum "B+" average or its equivalent in their homelands, to be considered for admission. Freshmen applying from either U.S. high schools or U.S. Overseas or International Schools are required to submit SAT scores. Transfer applicants must have a "B" average minimum. Graduate applicants must submit scores on either the GMT or the GRE examinations depending on the area of study.

Based on retention statistics, it is evident that international students' persistence to graduation is somewhat greater than that of domestic students. However there are many factors that can help to explain this phenomenon without reference to citizenship. Most importantly most international students are graduates and a majority of the graduate students are enrolled in two-year Master's degree programs. In contrast the majority of domestic students are undergraduates pursuing four-year Bachelor's degrees.

Financial Issues for International Students

At present more than 65 percent of all USC undergraduates receive some form of financial assistance from the university. However international students, about nine percent of undergraduates, are largely ineligible for this aid. As educational costs continue to increase, this appears to be negatively affecting our undergraduate international enrollment. Over two-thirds of USC non-immigrant students are enrolled in graduate programs and the number of undergraduates has been dropping steadily for the past five years.

Most Ph.D. students, both domestic and foreign, are supported either by research or teaching assistantships. At the master's degree level there is very little institutional support for graduate study expenses, yet a very high percentage of the master's students in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, in particular, are non-immigrants. We believe this reflects these international students' belief that opportunities in these fields will continue to expand.

The university was quick to respond to the financial crisis effecting Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand and its impact on students from these countries. We have now assisted over 100 students in applying for the Special Student Relief (SSR) employment program and more than ten USC students have received support from the ASAAP, KSAAP and ASIA-HELP programs along with matching university grants for their educational expenses. Our priority is to assist currently enrolled students in successfully completing their educational objectives.

English Language Requirements

All students whose first language is other than English, who have not completed at least a year of Freshman English in an American college or university, or who do not submit TOEFL scores of 600 or better (on the TOEFL test), are required to take our International Student English (ISE) examination prior to first time enrollment. Performance on this test determines whether or not, and how much, transitional English study is required prior to, or concurrent with, degree study.

Problems occasionally arise when students arrive at USC believing that their English is sufficient for their academic work and then, from their test performance, learn that they must enroll in further English study. Cooperation between academic departments and the American Language Institute regarding language proficiency issues has resulted in curricular and design changes of the ALI courses to better accommodate academic course sequencing requirements while insuring that students acquire the needed English proficiency.

Relations with the Immigration and Naturalization Service

One of the most frustrating dimensions of our work and that of all people working in international educational exchange is interacting with this complex and largely unresponsive federal agency. As we are repeatedly told, the Agency's primary responsibility is that of a law enforcement agency and secondarily, serving intending immigrants and their families. Services to a non-immigrant constituency, without significant power to influence Congress, receive low priority attention. Specifically student requests for employment authorization, which are handled by the INS California Service Center in Laguna Nigel, are taking so long so as to be meaningless in many cases. For example we have students who submitted applications for three-month summer employment applications in April 1998, who have yet to hear from the Service.

In response to legislation requiring INS to have better information on foreign students studying in this country, INS is currently developing a Coordinated Interagency Program to Regulate International Students (CIPRIS). While much time and effort is being devoted to a pilot program now in place in eight southeastern states, the plan must overcome significant problems before it can be introduced nationally. It is understood that Congress is requiring that the CIPRIS program operate on a self-sustaining basis. To do so, INS has announced that it will have to start charging international students entering the country a $100 fee in advance of the introduction of the new program. Additionally, recent INS processing fee increases, which are justified as a way of raising revenue for additional staffing to help reduce work backlogs, are being met skeptically by those familiar with previous fee increases with the same rationale but little measurable improvements.

Unlike private citizens who can request the assistance of a Congressperson for INS action on a specific matter, educational institutions that need a good working relationship with the agency on a continuing basis, are reluctant to take an openly confrontational stance. After all, the right to issue Certificates of Eligibility (Forms I-20) needed for the visa issuance to foreign students, is granted by the INS.

Many if not most, foreign students hope to acquire employment experience related to their fields of study prior to leaving this country. For this optional practical training can, upon the recommendation of the school, be authorized by the INS. The inordinate delays in approving such employment authorization applications have led to increasing frustration among both the students and the advisers who recommend this employment opportunity.

Health Insurance Issues

While current federal regulations do not mandate that all persons holding student visas be insured for health and accident coverage, most colleges and universities do require it. USC automatically enrolls all non-immigrant students into the university sponsored student health insurance plan. Those who can provide proof of private comparable coverage within the first three weeks of each semester may have this charge reversed.

A very troubling issue is trying to ensure that students with accompanying dependents are aware of the need for spouse and dependent coverage. Since federal regulations make non-immigrants ineligible for all government assistance programs, dependent illness and accidents can cause severe problems and result in termination of study plans.

Interaction Between Domestic and Foreign Students

A study in the Boston area in 1965 showed the larger the university, the less likely that international students will interact in a meaningful way with domestic students. The amount and type of interaction is characterized by superficiality and is largely determined by linguistic capability, self-interest of the parties, strong focus on getting the degree, inordinate careerism, and a strong concern with cost and value. There seems in many ways an inverse ratio between the number of international students on a campus and the likelihood of developing quality relationships and understanding with the majority population. When there are large nationality groups enrolled, the quality of interaction with all different nationalities is also lessened. And when specific nationalities come to predominate in some disciplines, these students can quickly become largely self-sufficient and disinterested in those of other nationality groups. This is especially evident among graduate students from East Asian countries studying the pure and applied sciences.

While this finding was applicable to all large campus communities, the issue of large nationality groups working against meaningful cross-national interaction is further complicated in Los Angeles. Here our large immigrant communities and the support that they offer are very attractive to students of the same nationality. Frequently because of the familiarity provided in these communities, students choose to live there, usually at quite a distance from the campus. Living at such a distance from the campus adversely affects the quality and extent of such students' participation in traditional university community life.

International students who enter as transfer students are most likely to live in ethnic communities and their campus involvement is low- quite similar to that of traditional commuter students. The likelihood that commuter students will form meaningful and lasting relationships with their fellow students then is largely dependent on what occurs in the classroom as interaction out of class is less likely than would be true were the students living on campus or in the surrounding campus community.

As we try to cope with this reality, new and innovative ways of furthering international interaction are continually being sought. Among the most successful especially at the graduate level, seem to be activities and programs where domestic and foreign students share the same goals and cooperation is necessary for success. Therefore team focused project assignments in specific courses, where the professor makes the team membership assignments, are being viewed as one of the best ways to increase cooperative mutually beneficial interaction between students of diverse backgrounds. When all students' grades are dependent on the success of the team, there is greater motivation to cooperate and in the process get to know and understand the character and characteristics of fellow project team members. Experience has shown that as a result of such activity meaningful cross-cultural understanding and friendships often result.

Future Issues

Most people in international educational exchange were initially attracted to it because of a desire to increase international understanding and goodwill between people of diverse nationalities and ethnicities. Unfortunately the increasingly bureaucratic environment in which we work necessitates that the bulk of our time be spent on issues of student status maintenance, and the processing of applications for various INS actions. This circumstance leads to increasing frustration, as we are often confused with immigration authorities in the minds of students. For after all, we are the persons who serve as the designated school officials in dealings with the INS and the office where they have to submit their applications.

While we would like to spend more time on programmatic activities designed to foster and increase international and cross-cultural understanding, it would be disingenuous to suggest that this is the reason all students come to study in the U.S. For many, "education for immigration" is not just their intent, but in some cases the expectation of their families who have scrimped and saved for their children's benefit. Obtaining an American education, getting a job and remaining in this country are the prime objective of many such students. Since, under carefully prescribed conditions, the law makes it possible, this objective is obtainable for many.

International student education for some higher education institutions has been viewed as a way of filling otherwise underutilized facilities with little attention to the unique needs and educational enrichment opportunities for all students provided by these students. I am pleased that with our long tradition of quality international educational exchange programs, that such is not the case at USC.

Back to Top

INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION FOR F-1 STUDENTS
AT CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERISTY, LONG BEACH

Paul M. Lewis, Director
Center for International Education

International students are an essential element of the overall plan for international education at California State University, Long Beach (CSULB). In order to put international students into the proper perspective, this paper will first briefly address the distinguishing features of international education at CSULB.

The Center for International Education (CIE) is a multipurpose administrative unit operating under the aegis of the division of Academic Affairs. It brings together a number of essential international services at the university, including the admission processing for any student seeking to enter the university who may have coursework from outside the United States. This includes both U.S. permanent residents, as well as international students (i.e. students on F-1 or J-1 visas), and those on other non-immigrant visas. In addition, the International Student Services section of the CIE provides a number of services for international students, which will be discussed at greater length later in this paper. Study Abroad Services are also part of the CIE operations, assisting domestic students to find study, intern or work opportunities outside the U.S. In addition, the CIE establishes international exchanges with other institutions throughout the world (there are currently some 30 such active exchanges), host's official-level international visitors, and serves as the university's international protocol office.

An International Studies major and minor combines the study of international relations, global and development issues and contemporary belief systems. This interdisciplinary bachelor's degree program is designed to provide a rigorous introduction to the complex interrelationships that exist among societies in the modern world. Additionally, an International Business certificate program also exists, which enhances and expands the scope of business students by combining the traditional undergraduate degree in business with additional training in the area of international business.

Awards for internationalizing the curriculum were initiated at Cal State Long Beach in 1988. Sponsored by the faculty-governed International Education Committee, these awards are designed to encourage faculty to develop new courses or to modify existing ones that will infuse international and/or non-western elements into the university curriculum. Since its inception, 85 awards have been granted, half for new courses and half for redesigned existing courses, and some 70% of these courses have been incorporated into the regular curriculum.

There is also an International House dormitory on campus. This residence hall facility, unique in the entire 23 campus California State University (CSU) system, matches an international and a domestic student in each of its rooms in order to foster personal and cross-cultural interaction.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly in terms of overarching policy related to international education, the campus Academic Senate recently passed a policy document sent to it by the International Education Committee. This document was the result of a yearlong highly collaborative process involving faculty, staff, students, and administrators from all divisions of the university. The purpose of the document is twofold, first, to promote the visibility of international
education both on and off campus, and second, to formalize the organizational structure for strategic planning and fundraising purposes, and in so doing to "legitimize" international education in the university's budget-allocating process.

Perhaps it can be seen from the above very brief outline that international education is a very important element of the overall structure of the university. As was mentioned above, international students form an extremely important part of this structure. Cal State Long Beach currently has approximately 1250 international students on campus, which is approximately four and a half percent of the overall student population of 28,000. This number includes 975 students in degree-seeking programs, 60 students on short-term exchanges, and slightly over 200 students learning English as a second language (ESL) in our American Language Institute (ALI). The ALI operates out of the division of the University College and Extension Services.

Because international students are an extremely important component of the campus ethos, a number of programs and services are offered for this essential university population. The unique structure of the Center for International Education that brings together under one roof many services for international students have already been mentioned above. It is not at all unusual, for example, on many university campuses for the admission operation to serve as a barrier and a gatekeeper to individuals with educational credentials from other countries. This is not true at Cal State Long Beach. An Assistant Director of the CIE is especially assigned to oversee this operation, and to be sure that, while maintaining requisite academic standards, it remains a student friendly process. This part of the CIE's operations receives some 25,000-student inquiries each year, and international student numbers continue to grow despite the on-going Asian financial crisis. In addition to the Assistant Director in charge, there are two fully trained evaluators, a receptionist, a data-entry person, and several student assistants.

Once international students arrive on our campus, there are a number of important services available to them through the International Student Services (ISS) segment of the CIE's operations. First, international students are urged to attend a weeklong orientation that begins some two weeks before the beginning of class both fall and spring semester. An important part of this process includes assistance from trained student Peer Advisors, who help newly arrived students with the myriad of paperwork and reporting procedures that are required of individuals on non-immigrant visas. In addition, workshops are offered, such as one to familiarize new students from abroad with U.S. teaching styles. Special trips are organized by staff and Peer Advisors in order to help students
get to know the local community (e.g. banks, grocery stores, restaurants etc.). Other field trips are offered, too, which take international students to the Hollywood Bowl and to the taping of a television sitcom. Such activities, typical of at least part of the culture of Southern California, are extremely popular with international students. The ISS segment of the CIE is made up of an Assistant Director who oversees operations, two full-time professional counselors (one Foreign Student Advisor and one Immigration Specialist), a half-time Intern, a Receptionist, and several student assistants.

In addition, there are other components of the CSULB campus that assist international students and help to make their educational and social experience a more positive one. For example, a group of more than 100 community volunteers, called the International Community Council (ICC), has worked with the CIE for over twenty-five years now offering programs for and with international students. Each fall and spring, for example, the ICC provides a luncheon for incoming international students as part of the CIE's orientation week program. They also offer such specialized programs as a Speakers' Bureau, connecting international students with groups in the community that would like to have students speak to them about their home countries and cultures. In addition, a Friendship Family program is operated by the ICC whereby international students are matched with local families and invited to various family gatherings, holiday festivities, outings etc. Finally, the ICC also provides a number of scholarships for both international students and for domestic students participating in our study abroad programs.

There is also an active International Student Association (ISA) on the CSULB campus, which is organized under the aegis of the university-wide Associated Students, Inc. It is made up of students from a large variety of national, linguistic, and ethnic backgrounds, including students from the United States. Indeed, the current ISA President is a U.S. citizen. ISA conducts weekly meetings during the semester and provides a number of programs for its members, as well as for the campus community as a whole. Two such widely recognized programs are the International Fair held each fall semester, and the spring semester International Banquet. This latter has now been held for more than 30 consecutive years and annually draws crowds of over 300 people, including students, staff, and faculty.

In conclusion, no paper related to the highlighting of international students on campus would be complete without mention of Phi Beta Delta, the Society for International Scholars. This is an honor society that was founded on the campus of California State University, Long Beach, in February of 1986, and now encompasses chapters on over 100 campuses nation-wide. Indeed, it recently inducted its first non-U.S. chapter at the Universidad de las Americas in Puebla, Mexico. Alpha Chapter here on our campus has some 70 active, dues-paying members, including many international students, with over 200 other members who have been inducted over the years. One of the purposes of Phi Beta Delta, aside from the recognition of internationally related achievement, is to bring the various diverse campus groups that have an interest in international education together to learn from and generate ideas with each other in the interest of campus globalization. Membership criteria are set by the national office, and include international interests and experience for faculty/staff, and international experience and requisite GPA levels for students.

California State University, Long Beach, has made concerted efforts to internationalize its campus, and these efforts have been recognized and encouraged at the highest levels of university administration. It is widely recognized on campus that international students form an extremely important part of that international equation. Much is done both to highlight and to assist international students on campus. The university benefits, in turn, not only financially, but also through the rich cultural, linguistic, and educational diversity that international students bring to the institution and to its domestic student population.

Back to Top

INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION FOR F-1 STUDENTS
AT SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

Elena M.Garate, Ph.D.
Dean, International Education

Overview:

Community Colleges have a critical role to play in the education of international students in California. At Santa Monica College, 2,440 F-1 students currently participate in California higher education through a number of programs. The variety of course offerings include a two-year transfer option to public and private four-year schools, one or two-year certificate programs, a two-year Associate of Arts degree, a semester abroad at SMC, and short-term programs. The flexibility of educational programming, the high level academic courses that have made SMC the number one transfer school to UCLA and USC, the affordable cost, and an optimal location combine to attract the large number of international students from over 100 countries.

At SMC our goal for all students is "Student Success." We pay particular attention to the international student during the first semester. This is the most critical adjustment period for all students. We provide services to monitor our students' progress and offer options that act as a "safety net" for students who may flounder. After attending a mandatory "Information Seminar" and taking English and math placement tests, F-1 students meet individually with an International Student Counselor who maps out an academic plan with the student. International Student Counseling is unique at SMC. Counselors are faculty members who teach Human Development 11, a one-unit course designed to introduce international students to the American higher educational system as well as orient the student to American life. Counselors also provide academic counseling, cross-cultural counseling, and professional referral. Despite the efforts to anticipate problems and areas of adjustment for international students, there are never enough counselors and enough time to meet every student's needs.

Like other schools we struggle with the issue of preparing the student to be truly independent. It is a given that international students must have services that support them during their studies and help them stay in status. However, now that we have a sizable population with little increase in staff or space, we have to consider to what extent we must hold the students' hand after the first semester. Like other schools, some who have been given a charge to grow in numbers, SMC must balance the need to prepare the student academically through personal counseling, (while living up to the school's promise made during recruitment) and the need to prepare the student to make independent academic decisions. Our graduates return to us from four-year schools to tell us "no one helped us register or took care of us like SMC." This balance is perhaps the biggest challenge we at the community colleges face today, for what we do lays the groundwork for the student to succeed at the next step of his/her academic career.

We face particular challenges at SMC. These include the fact we have no housing facilities available to students, we have limited parking, and we have an overall student population of about 26,000 students year-round. The international student must be independent and resourceful to succeed at SMC.

Special Programs:

One of the steps we have taken to better prepare international students for American college life at SMC is through our "Summer Bridge Program." This program was established in 1997 to prepare students for the fall semester at SMC. English proficiency is a great concern at SMC. Students are required to have a minimum of 450 TOEFL for admission. During the Summer Bridge Program SMC provides ESL instruction according to the students' need, prepares the students for the American classroom experience, works with the students on cultural adjustment to the area, assists the students with selecting housing, and helps the students bond with SMC. Currently this program is offered to Japanese students through an ESL school in Tokyo. Part of its success is the preparation of the students while they study in Tokyo, from both a cultural and English as a Second Language perspective. Additionally, these Japanese students have chosen to go to SMC as a first step in obtaining an American education. This in itself is a strong motivating factor for student success. In summer 1997, 49 students participated in the program. Forty-seven (47) of them continued full-time in the Fall 97 semester and on in to the Spring 98 semester. In summer 1998 69
students participated with 68 continuing in the Fall 98 semester.

As we review the success of our Summer Bridge Program we are contemplating opening the program to students from other countries. A mix of students would allow for more interaction in English and provide more students an opportunity to get settled earlier. We also recognize the need for the pre-departure preparation that the Japanese students have experienced over a one-year period in the home country. It is important that the students in this program have an opportunity to understand what they will need to know prior to their arrival at SMC. Finally, we continue to struggle to keep the cost of the program affordable in order to attract students from all economic levels.

The majority of the International students at Santa Monica College are successful for a variety of reasons. SMC attempts to recruit students who will be able to adapt to the educational system, participate in student activities, and adjust to the living arrangements, in an apartment, the UCLA Coop, or living with a host family. SMC international alumni and the SMC International Parents Association throughout the world assist us in attracting students who can benefit from an American education at SMC.

The International Student for the Year 2000 and Beyond:

"Student Success" is a relative term for all students at SMC. We believe we can effectively prepare students to meet their individual academic goals. However, the original aim of international education to bring together students from diverse cultures to interact with domestic students in order to promote international understanding has shifted for several reasons. Like their American counterparts, International students and their families invest in the student's US education after carefully reviewing the marketplace of educational programs. The families, as international consumers, must weigh many factors beyond the cost of education. They must consider how the academic program will enhance the options the student will have after graduation. Further, the international investor must consider the location, housing, support services, and general safety and welfare of the student while attending the college or university.

The clear purpose and direction international students possess greatly affects their ability to interact with domestic students. Depending upon their linguistic competence and academic preparation, some international students become isolated from the mainstream and confine their activities to study and comfortable interaction among students from their own countries. In many cases, the students may interact solely within a transplanted family, aunts and uncles, brothers and sisters, who proceeded them to the area. The economics of purchasing housing for the family members who are studying in the area serves to further isolate the student.

Socially we have learned over the past few years that the concept of International Day has become an anathema to modern international students. When they learn they are expected to dress up in their ethnic costumes, dance traditional dances, and serve their ethnic foods to the campus, most refuse. Today's international student dresses like most Americans and is primarily interested in blending in with others. International students are aware of the cultural differences from their American counterparts. However, they have also come to realize the similarities they share with all
students, not only clothes and music, but also educational and career goals. International and domestic programs that can shift their focus from "how we are different" to "what do we have in common" can begin to capture the interest of international students and their fellow domestic students.

In a recent academic paper, Mr. Gordon Dossett, a veteran SMC English teacher and Ph.D. in International Education graduate student at USC, discussed the results of his interviews of a sampling of SMC international students. He based his hypothesis on the assumption that "the stronger a student feels ties to the college culture, the greater the levels of satisfaction and academic success he or she will experience." He cited the work of George Wood, who believes that schools develop a group spirit that in turn leads to a community that embraces the student. Also cited is
Vincent Tinto and his theory that an institution's teaching and social situations are inseparable and thus "the academic occurs within the broader social system that pervades the campus." Finally, Mr. Dossett referred to Alexander Astin, who argues that "the student's peer group is the single most potent source of influence on growth and development during the undergraduate years."

The findings of Mr. Dossett's informal interviews serve to confirm the work of Klineberg and Hull, who are famous for identifying a "foreign student ghetto" pattern. Indeed, the SMC students related their disappointment in not forming lasting relationships with American students, even when they lived with them. These American roommates, and other students, were deemed rather superficial. "Today they hug you; tomorrow they don't know you." The students found some of their American counterparts were not academically motivated. As a result, these and other international students at SMC form close relationships with other foreign students, many of whom shared their experiences. All of those interviewed had visited the United States several times before they chose to study at SMC. Some have intercultural parents (Danish and Iranian), have lived in many other countries, and speak English as a third or fourth language.

Concerns for Teaching:

In the area of teaching, large populations of F-1 students who possess a range of linguistic skills in English clearly affect the dynamics of the learning environment. Many international students who can afford the tuition come from higher socioeconomic levels and are better academically prepared than their American counterparts. These factors, as well as the faculty member's attitude toward and preparation for differing levels of English proficiency and academic foundation in any given class, provide a continuing dilemma for class lesson plans, teacher preparation, and academic outcomes.
Providing faculty access to the profiles of the SMC international student, such as Mr. Dossett has begun to do, will assist faculty in becoming more effective in meeting the academic needs of the students.

Further, utilizing the vast cultural and academic experience our international students bring to SMC will introduce American students, who are isolated within the greater Los Angeles area, to broaden their perspective on the world. The most recent Open Doors results for Overseas Studies by American students reported that less than 1% of all American students in higher education today seek to study abroad. This stunning figure helps us to understand the limited vision international students encounter in their new American classmates.

Dispelling stereotypes is a worthwhile exercise for faculty and staff as well as the students. We are now educating students who will lead interdependent global societies. A US education is prized by the world because of its broad-based, flexible, practical nature. Faculty who teach the curriculum and the staff who support the students must understand the educational and career goals of the students if they are to prepare students adequately.

Next Steps:

There is much work to do. First, we must shift our view of international education and the students who come to us. Gone are the days of the third world student on US government scholarship who was grateful to learn modern methods to help his nation out of poverty. Today's student wants to learn "American" methods of addressing issues that affect the entire world. This is not to say we should abandon the idealistic charge to further cross-cultural understanding we held when we started international educational exchange after the Second World War. Cross-cultural understanding can be achieved through better understanding of the shared goals all students hold.

Secondly, we must assist our faculty in meeting their challenges with foreign-born and domestic students. We can provide workshops, internships, and study-abroad for our faculty. At SMC our International Student Speakers' Forum members make presentations about their home country's economy and culture to the classes. These presentations evoke discussion and provide information no textbook can rival.

Finally, we can treat our international students with respect as young adults, provide them with the tools they need to succeed as students, and prepare them to be adult members of this interdependent global society.

Back to Top

INTERNATIONAL STUDENT SERVICES AT
CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, LOS ANGELES
A HISTORY AND PERSPECTIVE

Michael D. Fels, Ph.D.
Director, International Programs and Services

Cal State L.A. is an urban, comprehensive, public University that recently celebrated its fiftieth year of service to the community. CSLA has deep roots in many Los Angeles neighborhoods that have been home to immigrants from Asia, Europe and Latin America for the better part of the twentieth century. European Jews, Russians, Mexicans, Armenians, Koreans, Chinese, Vietnamese, Japanese, Lebanese, Central Americans, Greeks and many others followed their dreams to City Terrace, Korea Town, China Town, Little Tokyo, Boyle Heights, East LA, Alhambra, Montebello, Glendale, Monterey Park and many more. That the demographics are always in flux can be seen every day on the streets as Brooklyn Avenue becomes Cesar Chavez Avenue, steak and eggs are replaced by dim sum and Armenian accents are heard in city parks that once were the sole province of the midwestern drawl.

Very much in the center of this great variety of peoples is Cal State L.A. First and foremost, CSLA is "…committed to student-centered learning, free scholarly inquiry and academic excellence within a diverse multi-ethnic community. . . .The University strives to promote understanding of, and respect for, diversity and to serve the changing needs of a global society."

While much of the world is represented in our classrooms due to the multi-ethnic nature of our community, the rationale for building a large international student enrollment has been a matter of debate. Do international students make academic success more difficult for local students who may have origins in the same countries? Do international students contribute to the intellectual/social life of the university as much as or more than local students? Since a large percentage of our visa students become quickly absorbed into their own local cultural/linguistic community off campus, just what is it that makes their presence important to the life of the university? Does the university have a social (moral?) responsibility to educate visa students? If so, what is that responsibility? What are its limits? When we admit visa students who harbor vigorous racial or ethnic prejudices, what responsibility does the University have toward local students of color? ("I want to be in class with 'real' Americans" or "I don't want to room with Black people.") Should the University actively encourage visa students to learn about and adopt, at least while they live and study on our campus, the principals of non-discrimination with regard to gender? Sexual preference? Religion? Ethnicity?

The only fact not debated is that visa students mean additional revenue.

The University demonstrates its ambivalence towards its large (650 in 1998's fall enrollment of matriculated visa students; another 100 or so taking classes in "open university" status), through never recruiting students from overseas. With regard to international applicants we maintain a passive, but interested, posture. If they find us, we're glad to help get them admitted, but we're certainly not out chasing them down. [Note: This does not apply to our own intensive English language program-ACLP. They ride and rope along with the best of them!].

To further contextualize the role of visa students at CSLA, it is helpful to trace the evolution of the office responsible for the "post-admission" advising of visa students. The admission of visa students was and is the responsibility of a unit of the Office of Admission.

Prior to 1986, International Programs and Services was known as the Foreign Student Office. That name reflected the limited responsibilities of the office, which were to provide immigration and non-academic advising services to "foreign" students. The Foreign Student Office--a passive, Student Affairs unit that reported to the Center for Student Life--made no contribution to the educational development of local students and did little to enhance the educational experience of international students. It was a document processing office, period.

By 1986, that the name, Foreign Student Office and the reporting relationship of the unit needed to be refocused to underline the academic mission of the University as a whole--its service to our local community--had grown clear. The University needed to provide its local students with more ways of being involved with various aspects of international education (including the internationalization of the curriculum) but there was no administrative unit on campus designated to serve that integrative, developmental function.

In response to that need as expressed by faculty, department chairs and academic administrators, the scope and activities of the "Foreign Student Office" evolved. Thus, to more accurately connote its new profile on campus the name was changed to "International Student Services" and International Students were redefined to include students who participated in an "international" experience--i.e. to local students going abroad as well as to those coming to the USA from abroad. The office became a liaison to the diplomatic community in Los Angeles, as well as to public and private organizations with interests in international exchange.

By the early 1990's International Student Services had unofficially become the engine for the development of international education at CSLA. It worked closely with faculty and academic administrators and now it was perceived as the central source of help with the development of international projects and programs as well as with the more traditional functions of study abroad and visa-student advising. In that regard, the services developed in the mid-1990's still form the backbone of services provided to visa students today: Orientation (a supplement to the University Orientation program); Immigration Counseling and all that implies; management of the mandatory health insurance program; general advising and advocacy (cultural, social, bureaucratic); admission and counseling for the University Open University program.

One may notice that this a "bare-bones" program. We do not find host families for students. We do not serve tea. We do not go to Disneyland. This is because the vast majority of our students transfer to us from other US institutions rather than coming directly from abroad. These students tend to have already figured out how to do much of the business of everyday life in the US. And, because of our location, there is no shortage of well-established local people who speak the same languages or even originate in the same neighborhoods in the same cities so that finding help with logistics is generally not a problem. Those needing special assistance receive it on a one-to-one basis. During our orientation, we encourage new students to make use of the abundant, multi-cultural recreational and social opportunities available to them through the University Student Union (including clubs and organizations). For the most part, this works. Over the years, efforts to organize "pan-international student" organizations have fizzled. Whatever students might need in the way of support to expand their social and cultural lives, they seem to get either from generic university programs or the surrounding communities. As for "host families", we abandoned that effort years ago when it was clear that the time and energy it took to find a family who would actually host (not rent to) an international student for the right reasons (i.e. not to get a servant or a recruit for the host-mom's religion) simply was not worth it.

In the mid-1990's, International Student Services applied for, and received membership in the National Student Exchange (NSE), a consortium of public universities in the USA which facilitates domestic academic exchanges for students. The number of students participating in the NSE has increased each year. In fall quarter 1999, for example, ten (10) CSLA students will study at other universities, and thirty-five (35) students from other universities around the United States will study at CSLA. All students are on a full academic year exchange. Again the role of International Student Services had expanded beyond limitations imposed by "international" and had responded to institutional and student needs for expanded co-curricular services. Also, in the mid-1990's International Student Services established a service-learning project on the Colorado River Indian Tribes Reservation in western Arizona. This project, now in its 6th year, has provided over 200 CSLA students (both foreign and domestic) with the opportunity to combine hard, physical work with learning about culture and service. This project, conducted with the support of the Rotary Clubs of East Los Angeles, San Marino, Alhambra and Monterey Park has become a model for university/community partnering.

Although International Student Services sat at the nexus of international activity at CSLA, it did so without portfolio. Even though that worked in most cases because of the personal relationships developed over many years between the Director and individual faculty and academic administrators, too much depended on collegial good-will and friendship and too little on organizational structure and planning. That is why, in 1999, the office of International Student Services, with the support of the University President, metamorphosed into International Programs and Services. The new name accurately acknowledged the role of the office in all aspects of international activity at the University. In addition to a name change, a new administrative position was created. This position puts the direct "student services" such as visa student and study abroad/exchange programs under one umbrella and assures that the Director of International Programs and Services can focus more attention on the development of projects and programs that build the international competency of the University as a whole.

The office still has long way to go to develop the resources needed to provide affordable, opportunities for CSLA students to participate in international and/or domestic programs and to provide co-curricular opportunities that bring local students into direct contact with the great wealth of cultural diversity on the campus and in our local communities.

The reformulated mission of the office of International Programs and Services is as follows:
To support the academic mission of the University by providing the CSLA community with a variety of opportunities for deepening understandings of, and making contributions to, the world's cultural, civic, organizational, and intellectual diversity.

The goals of International Programs and Services have been defined as follows:

Goal 1: To provide a cluster of high-quality support services to international students and scholars at CSLA that relates to those persons' special status in the USA and at the University.

Goal 2: To promote scholarly exchanges of faculty, staff and students.

Goal 3: To serve as a catalyst for the development and support of international and domestic exchange programs and projects for students, faculty and staff.

Goal 4: To strengthen ties between the University and the local community.

Goal 5: To support specific initiatives of the University's Priority Strategic Initiatives plan.

For the first time, the University has hired a person to specifically oversee all aspects of enrollment management. This may result in a decision to maintain the status quo (i.e. no recruiting overseas) or in a decision to limit recruiting to countries and regions with few representative students on campus (Europe, Africa, Middle East) or to go after any and all who possess the requisite academic and financial qualifications

Whatever happens, we look forward to continuing to define and refine the delicate balances that exist between domestic and foreign; import and export; in and out; alien and terrestrial. We certainly don't have the answers.

Ideally? I'd like to see us admit international students who can't wait to learn from our local students what it's like to live an American life; ones who can't wait for the first vacation so they can take the Greyhound across country and stay at youth hostels and national parks; who volunteer to work at a local Boy's and Girl's Club; who go to free jazz nights at the MOCA; who wonder what it's like to be poor in America. In short, we want our international students to be adventurous and courageous and to encounter us Americans in all our many guises and to take home more than a college degree.

Back to Top

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF
CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES

Carlos Manuel Haro, Ph.D.
Assistant Dean, International Studies and Overseas Programs

In fewer than 80 years, UCLA has propelled itself into the ranks of the nation's top 10 research universities. As a conscious part of the international cultural and economic community known as the Pacific Rim, UCLA has developed a strong commitment to cultural diversity reflecting both the rich make-up of Los Angeles and the myriad countries of the world. UCLA builds every year on an already renowned reputation for education, innovation and community service to draw hundreds of permanent and visiting students from all corners of the globe. With an enrollment topping 34,000 undergraduate and graduate students, UCLA attracts the best and the brightest from around the world by offering one of the widest selections of study areas among major American universities. Students can choose from more than 100 major fields and design their own interdisciplinary majors. This broad range of academic programs both attracts international scholars and draws strength from their vast cultural and ethnic diversity.

The International Student Community
In 1997, there were 10,588 international students and scholars at UCLA. This number was 0.55 percent up from the year before. From 1991 to 1997 there has been a 8.16 percent increase in the number of international scholars and students at UCLA. Among the non-immigrants, there were 1956 registered students, 250 affiliated students, 1703 visiting scholars or faculty and 841 UCLA Extension students. Among the immigrants, there were 5727 registered students and 111 affiliated students. From 1996 to 1997 affiliated non-immigrant students and registered immigrant students experienced 5.66 percent and 4.82 percent decline respectively. All other categories experienced between four and fourteen percent increase (See Table I).

Table I: International Students and Scholars Population Summary
Visa Status/Category 1997 1996 % Change1996-97 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991
Non-Immigrant
Registered Students 1956 1774 10.26% 1648 1668 1736 1764 1860
Affiliated Students 250 265 -5.66% 229 236 212 375 446
Visiting Scholars/Faculty 1703 1634 4.22% 1728 1869 1948 1941 1967
UCLA Extension 841 737 14.11% 740 753 797 782 758
Immigrant
Registered Students 5727 6017 -4.82% 6148 5969 5432 5025 4629
Affiliated Students 111 103 7.77% 111 90 44 56 63
Total 10588 10530 0.55% 10604 10585 10169 9943 9723

Among the registered international students Asia has the largest population represented. There were 3,390 immigrant and 1,281 non-immigrant students from Asia. This was followed by Europe and the Americas (See Table II). The numbers of immigrant students, within the exception of Oceania and Europe, have declined from 1996 to 1997. On the other hand, the numbers of non-immigrant students from all parts of the world have increased.

TABLE II
REGISTERED INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
DISTRIBUTION BY WORLD REGION
FALL 1996 AND FALL 1997

Region Non-Immigrant Immigrant
1997 1996 % Change 1997 1996 % Change
Africa 38 29 31.03% 98 101 -2.97%
Americas 227 218 4.13% 864 897 -3.68%
Asia 1281 1164 10.05% 3390 3648 -7.07%
Europe 320 287 11.50% 586 570 2.81%
Middle East 73 67 8.96% 702 722 -2.77%
Oceania 12 9 33.33% 36 30 20.00%
Unclassified 5 0 N/A 51 49 4.08%
Total 1956 1774 10.26% 5727 6017 -4.82%

China was the largest country represented among the non-immigrant international students followed by Taiwan. (See chart I-A) China made up 12.88 percent of the international student population and Taiwan 12.22 percent. The largest represented countries among the immigrant international students were Korea and Vietnam. The Republic of Korea made up of 15.68 percent with 898 students and Vietnam 12.14 percent with 695 students (See Chart I-B).
Chart I-A, Non-Immigrant Students
1997
Country Number %
China (PRC) 252 12.88%
Taiwan 239 12.22%
Korea, Republic of 211 10.79%
Japan 182 9.30%
Hong Kong 160 8.18%
India 91 4.65%
Canada 76 3.89%
United Kingdom 46 2.35%
Indonesia 39 1.99%
France 36 1.84%
Other 624 31.90%
Total 1956 100.00%

Chart I-B, Immigrant Students
1997
Country Number %
Korea, Republic of 898 15.68%
Vietnam 695 12.14%
Taiwan 637 11.12%
Iran 569 9.94%
Mexico 316 5.52%
China (PRC) 257 4.49%
Philippines 250 4.37%
Hong Kong 190 3.32%
Canada 151 2.64%
El Salvador 121 2.11%
Other 1643 28.69%
Total 5727 100.00%

Source: " International Students at the University of California, Los Angeles. Fall Quarter 1997." Published by UCLA Office of International Students and Scholars, 106 Tom Bradley International Hall

Resources for UCLA's Community of International Students
It is clear that UCLA has a large International Student population with a wide range of different backgrounds and needs. The office of International Students and Scholars (OISS) was established 40 years ago to provide specialized services to this community. Services include personal counseling on immigration/visa issues, financial resources and tax matters; academic adjustment; insurance; and release of funds from other countries. OISS professional staff also answer questions concerning personal adjustment, and help students better understand UCLA. OISS acts as a powerful advocate on behalf of international students both individually and as a group within the University and in the face of sometimes extremely daunting governmental agencies.

The OISS contributes to the multicultural character that is so important to UCLA by encouraging students to become involved in student organizations and intercultural education programs. In joint sponsorship with the Dashew International Student Center (DISC) and the International Students Association (ISA), the following types of programs are offered: language exchange; exploring Los Angeles; intercultural discussion groups; and campus-wide activities focusing on cultural diversity and mutual understanding.
In the month of September, OISS, with DISC and the ISA, conducts special orientation programs (ISSOP) in which trained International Advisors (IAs) welcome the approximately 700 new international students arriving in fall quarter. These IAs maintain contact with the international students throughout the year and help the OISS to offer programs, seminars, workshops and conferences on issues of personal interest and academic significance to international and U.S. students.

The OISS has a myriad other activities as well. It promotes training and research on intercultural communication, serves as a source of information to students and scholars about on- and off-campus events and services, sponsors international students groups such as the ISA, provides internships, and publishes the International Students and Scholars Guide. Clearly, the international student community at UCLA not only has access to world-class education and a culturally rich and varied American student population, but it also has an excellent and committed support system that addresses academic, legal, immigration/visa, personal, cultural, social, language and many other issues and questions as well.

UCLA and International Students into the Future

UCLA's long-standing and continued support of its international student community has contributed to making it a leading university in the world. UCLA's international students have many opportunities to study in different academic fields as well as to experience American culture and learn both about the history and culture of Los Angeles and about the United States and Americans more generally. UCLA and the OISS will continue to provide excellent personalized encouragement and support for UCLA's vast and diverse international student community as we move into the 21st century.

UCLA is an urban public and research university, with a College of Letters and Sciences and 11 Professional Schools. Today, at UCLA, there are roughly 1,800 non-immigrant international students, mostly at the graduate level, and 1,500 international scholars. This is out of a total student population of 25,011 undergraduates and 11,879 graduate students, with a faculty totaling 3,167. Since the early 1990s, the number of non-immigrant registered international students has risen by roughly 5% overall. Among immigrant registered international students, there was an increase over the same period of approximately 24% overall. These increases in the numbers of both immigrant and non-immigrant registered international students parallel national trends. Enrollment figures for international students both at UCLA and nationally picked up in 1997 after four years of minimal growth. The record total of 547, 867 international students in the U.S. for the 2000-2001 academic year represents a 6.4% rise in international enrollment and the largest national increase over the last 20 years.

International students from Asia have come to play an increasingly significant role at UCLA, as they have nationally. The numbers of non-immigrant students at UCLA increased from 1996-1997, with Asia having the fourth largest increase after Oceana, Africa, and Europe. On the other hand, overall numbers of non-immigrant and immigrant registered international students from Asia were the highest for all relevant world regions at UCLA in 1997. China, Taiwan, Korea, and Vietnam were the countries with the top numbers of immigrant and non-immigrant international students at UCLA.

The importance of China for UCLA's international student enrollment figures reflects rises in international students from China at the national level. According to the Institute for International Education's most recent Open Doors survey, China sent the most international students to the U.S. for the third year in a row. The figure for international students from China in the U.S. for the academic year 2000-2001 rose by 10%. China, as the top sending country, was followed by India, Japan, and Taiwan, respectively.

Asia was clearly the predominant region of origin for international students in the U.S. during 2000-2001. At the national level, Asian students accounted for roughly 51% of international student enrollment during the same period. Asia, as the top sending region for international students in the U.S., was followed by Europe, Latin and South America, and the Middle East, respectively. At UCLA, Asia also had the largest population of registered international students, followed by Europe and the Americas, respectively.
Despite some recent, post-September 11th, potentially negative developments such as stricter regulations for international student visas and proposals to drastically overhaul the Immigration and Naturalization Service, application rates for foreign students at many American universities were up between 16 and 24 percent in the 2000-2001 academic year. In the Open Doors 2001 survey, educators indicated that international students' interest in study in the U.S. has "remained strong, and is likely to do so in the coming year." Moreover, long-term goals such as the strengthening of "cooperative efforts to address global problems that could one day pose as great a threat as terrorism" could be achieved by making sure these recent increases in the numbers of international students both at UCLA and nationally are not rapidly reversed. The Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS), in conjunction with DIC and ISA, are part of the efforts at UCLA being directed toward making sure that the positive trends in international student enrollment and programs continue for a long time to come.

Back to Top