International students account for 3.6 percent of Chico State population
Most international students come from the Middle East or East Asia. Photo credit: Yang Dai
According to data collected by the International Student Services for the 2016 spring semester, 589 international students from 40 countries are studying in Chico State. This accounts for 3.6 percent of the total number of students in the school.
Of these students, 462 are undergraduates and 127 are graduates.
There are two approaches helping international students who want to study for their education at Chico State.
One is to acquire admission by taking the Test of English as a Foreign Language, and the other one is to apply for American Language and Culture Institute in Chico State. After graduation from this school, the student can become an international student of the school.
“The top-ranked countries with the largest number of international students studying abroad are: Saudi Arabia, India, China, Kuwait, Korea and Japan with 454 international students in total, accounting for 77 percent of the total number,” said Cindy McKay, an international student adviser.
The statistical report of international students at the beginning of 2016 indicates there are 216 international students from the Middle East and 150 from East Asia.
The most popular degrees these students pursue are educational and commercial science degrees.
“It is noteworthy that till the spring in 2016, 68 international students, who have finished their schooling, chose to stay in the United States and start their working life by (Optional Practical Training),” McKay said.
Miho Iwakoshi, an exchange student from Japan majoring in recreation, will finish her time attending the college at the end of May and go back to Japan. Chico State has left an impression on Iwakoshi after she learned and lived here for several years.
“I love Chico very much, where everyone is friendly to me. Also the college life here is memorable. Every day I spent here is really comfortable and precious for me,” Iwakoshi said. “At the moment I am leaving here, I will miss this city very much.”
Yang Dai can be reached at [email protected] or @YangDaiVip on Twitter.
Lance Johnson // Apr 3, 2016 at 9:07 am
Congrats to those who have come from afar to CS because being an international student isn’t easy, given our complex culture and language. Assistance must come from numerous sources to aid these young people embarking on life’s journey. A new award-winning worldwide book/ebook that reaches out to help anyone coming to the US is “What Foreigners Need To Know About America From A To Z: How to Understand Crazy American Culture, People, Government, Business, Language and More.” It is used in foreign Fulbright student programs and endorsed worldwide by ambassadors, educators, and editors. It also identifies “foreigners” who became successful in the US and how they’ve contributed to our society, including students.
A chapter on education explains how to be accepted to an American university and cope with a confusing new culture, friendship process and daunting classroom differences. Some stay after graduation. It has chapters that explain how US businesses operate and how to get a job (which differs from most countries), a must for those who want to work with/for an American firm here or overseas.
It also has chapters that identify the most common English grammar and speech problems foreigners have and tips for easily overcoming them, the number one stumbling block they say they have to succeeding here.
Most struggle in their efforts and need guidance from schools’ international departments, immigration protection, host families, concerned neighbors and fellow students, and informative books to extend a cultural helping hand so we all have a win-win situation. Good luck to all wherever you study!