Although 19-year-old Fiasal Alkhamees, a CSUN international student from Kuwait studying engineering, says he is homesick, he is thankful he has the opportunity to get an American college degree.
“When I will get my degree from CSUN, it will mean I will have a U.S. degree, so when I go back to Kuwait my salary will be much higher and it will be a bigger deal,” Alkhamees said.
According to new research published by the Institute of International Education, the number of international students studying in the U.S. has increased over 7.2 percent since last year, resulting in 819,644 international students studying in the U.S. in 2012-2013.
Alkhamees also said because universities in Kuwait are overcrowded, he feels lucky he received a scholarship to study at CSUN.
“Back in my country, we only have three or four universities and they are full of students, so there is not enough space for everyone to study. That’s why the government gives us a scholarship to come study in the U.S.,” he said.
The Value Of An American Education
According to the 2013 Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange, China, India and South Korea are the top three countries that send international students to the U.S. to study, with China making up 28.7 percent of total international students studying in the U.S.
According to director of Global Studies and International Pathways for the Tseng College at CSUN, Patrick Colabucci, the high reputation that an American degree holds is among the top three reasons international students come to study in America.
“There is a catch that comes with an American degree, especially a bachelor or doctorate degree where you can take it home and then use it to be better positioned for a high quality job. There’s a good return on investment for it,” he said.
Michal Jankowski, manager for the facility operations at the Student Recreation Center at CSUN, came to CSUN in 2003 as an international student from Poland. There, he got his bachelor’s degree in business administration and marketing and later received his master’s degree in higher education administration in 2010.
The student life and student involvement is what Janowski said made his experience at CSUN a memorable one, especially because he said student involvement at Poland universities is almost non-existent.
“That American dream that people refer to is here for you. And if it’s not here, you can create it yourself and live it,” Janowski said. “Education in America is not only about the academic quest, it’s about that student involvement that adds to it and makes it so rich. College is a beautiful experience and if you’re missing out on this student life component then you’re missing out on a lot.”
Colabucci also believes that what sets the American university system apart from other countries’ is its hands-on experience.
“At American universities, you have to participate at all levels. You speak in the class and you work in teams and you work on projects,” he said. “You go to baseball games and you work on campus. You’re a vibrant member of the community and it’s a true university experience.”
The University of Southern California (USC) was the number one institution to host international students in the 2012-2013 academic year, and UCLA was the sixth most popular institution to host international students, making California the number one state to host international students in the U.S. according to the report. In 2012-2013, California hosted 111,379 international students alone.
While CSUN is not one of the top 10 schools to host international students, Janowski believes its broad range of culturally and ethnically diverse students along with the fact that that the university is affordable sets it apart.
“Because of the amazing diversity we have on this campus and because of the student life, CSUN is unique that it gives that amazing student involvement experience,” Colabucci said.
The Cost of Being An International Student
In 2012-2013, international students contributed 24 billion dollars according to the U.S. economy the Open Doors report.
Residential undergraduate students who do not live with a parent or relative will pay $23,952 for the 2013-2014 academic school year according to the CSUN website, while the estimated student expenses for one school year for an undergraduate international student totals to $34,300.
Students who are not residents of California have to pay an additional $372 per unit.
“I know some countries offer scholarships for students to study and I know that other people have their families give them the money, but there are a lot of people who take credit and go through a lot of economic struggle to send their kids to American colleges,” Janowski said. “They take loans and they do the regular things that American parents do because they value that American education.”
President of CSUN’s International Student Association (ISA) Daniel Aguiar says many international students transfer to CSUN from community colleges so they can save money.
“International Students tend to transfer to CSUN since they pay more than double what a resident would pay for theirs fees, and community college tuition is slightly less than a four-year university,” Aguiar said.
Although some international students can work on campus, Aguiar says it is not enough.
“Their main source of support comes from their parents, relatives or a sponsor such as their home country government or entity,” Aguiar said.
For Mike Lee, a 20-year-old international student from Japan, studying in America means being able to choose a major he likes, as opposed to choosing a major that is required for a specific job like he would have to do if he studied back home.
“You will go to class and study very hard, even if it’s a topic that you don’t like. Here I can choose to study what I like,” Lee said.
Even though he loves studying at CSUN, Lee is not here on a scholarship which he said is an expensive experience that his family ends up paying for.
“My family is paying for this and it is much more expensive than Japan. Here we have dollars, so that’s already more money,” Lee said. “I have a (high) tuition fee, and I need to pay a lot of extra money for insurance.”
Scholarship vs. personal means
While the fees associated with being an international student are high, the report shows that 63.6 percent of international students’ primary source of funding comes from their families or personal means, while only about 20 percent comes from the U.S. college or university at which they are studying.
Abtin Jaberi, 20, an international student from Iran, came to CSUN four months ago to study to become a veterinarian, a venture he said his family is paying for out of pocket.
Although he’s far from home, Jaberi said he doesn’t miss Iran.
“I don’t miss being back home. America is much better, LA is better. It’s better people, better culture, better rules, everything is better here,” Jaberi said.
For Moath Al Omar, 17, an international student from Saudi Arabia who is majoring in psychology, getting a scholarship from the Saudi Arabian government made it possible for him to study at CSUN.
“When anyone comes here from Saudi Arabia, the government pays for them,” said Al Omar. “Their tuition is free, the campus, the insurance, everything is free. If I didn’t have the scholarship, I wouldn’t be able to come. If I you’re rich, you can come here easily.”
Cultural reasons for coming to the U.S.
While Al Omar said the main reason he came to study in America is because of the benefits of holding a U.S. degree, he also loves the American culture.
“Everything is better here in America. The culture is more open and free. In Saudi Arabia, everything is split,” Al Omar said. “The women and men are split in everything, even in high school, college and restaurants. We have a women’s section and men’s section. Women can’t even drive there. Here there is a lot more freedom.”
Of those who are international students, 41 percent are undergrads and 38 percent are graduate students. Business and management, engineering, and math and computer science are the top three majors being studied by international students, leaving humanities, education and agriculture as the least popular.
Mohammed Al-Suheem, an 18-year-old international student from Saudi Arabia who is also studying psychology at CSUN, said he chose to study in California after his brother had graduated from the university.
“I asked my father if I can try to study at CSUN like my brother did, since he loved the culture and environment so much, and so I can improve my English, and he said yes,” Al-Suheem said.
In the two months he’s been here, Al-Suheem said he’s met many other international students and he is excited to be spending his first Christmas in the U.S.
“I am really excited to see how the holidays are celebrated here. I think I might go to Big Bear or Las Vegas with my friends,” he said.
U.S. Students Studying Abroad
Juliet Aylmer, Study Abroad and National Student Exchange adviser, said the main reason American students like to study abroad is to learn about another country.
“Students like to study abroad to fully immerse themselves in another country, in another culture, to learn about themselves and others and perhaps learn a new language,” Aylmer said.
For U.S. college students, the United Kingdom, Italy and Spain are the top three destinations students choose to study abroad.
lthough 19-year-old Fiasal Alkhamees, a CSUN international student from Kuwait studying engineering, says he is homesick, he is thankful he has the opportunity to get an American college degree.
“When I will get my degree from CSUN, it will mean I will have a U.S. degree, so when I go back to Kuwait my salary will be much higher and it will be a bigger deal,” Alkhamees said.
According to new research published by the Institute of International Education, the number of international students studying in the U.S. has increased over 7.2 percent since last year, resulting in 819,644 international students studying in the U.S. in 2012-2013.
Alkhamees also said because universities in Kuwait are overcrowded, he feels lucky he received a scholarship to study at CSUN.
“Back in my country, we only have three or four universities and they are full of students, so there is not enough space for everyone to study. That’s why the government gives us a scholarship to come study in the U.S.,” he said.
The Value Of An American Education
According to the 2013 Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange, China, India and South Korea are the top three countries that send international students to the U.S. to study, with China making up 28.7 percent of total international students studying in the U.S.
According to director of Global Studies and International Pathways for the Tseng College at CSUN, Patrick Colabucci, the high reputation that an American degree holds is among the top three reasons international students come to study in America.
“There is a catch that comes with an American degree, especially a bachelor or doctorate degree where you can take it home and then use it to be better positioned for a high quality job. There’s a good return on investment for it,” he said.
Michal Jankowski, manager for the facility operations at the Student Recreation Center at CSUN, came to CSUN in 2003 as an international student from Poland. There, he got his bachelor’s degree in business administration and marketing and later received his master’s degree in higher education administration in 2010.
The student life and student involvement is what Janowski said made his experience at CSUN a memorable one, especially because he said student involvement at Poland universities is almost non-existent.
“That American dream that people refer to is here for you. And if it’s not here, you can create it yourself and live it,” Janowski said. “Education in America is not only about the academic quest, it’s about that student involvement that adds to it and makes it so rich. College is a beautiful experience and if you’re missing out on this student life component then you’re missing out on a lot.”
Colabucci also believes that what sets the American university system apart from other countries’ is its hands-on experience.
“At American universities, you have to participate at all levels. You speak in the class and you work in teams and you work on projects,” he said. “You go to baseball games and you work on campus. You’re a vibrant member of the community and it’s a true university experience.”
The University of Southern California (USC) was the number one institution to host international students in the 2012-2013 academic year, and UCLA was the sixth most popular institution to host international students, making California the number one state to host international students in the U.S. according to the report. In 2012-2013, California hosted 111,379 international students alone.
While CSUN is not one of the top 10 schools to host international students, Janowski believes its broad range of culturally and ethnically diverse students along with the fact that that the university is affordable sets it apart.
“Because of the amazing diversity we have on this campus and because of the student life, CSUN is unique that it gives that amazing student involvement experience,” Colabucci said.
The Cost of Being An International Student
In 2012-2013, international students contributed 24 billion dollars according to the U.S. economy the Open Doors report.
Residential undergraduate students who do not live with a parent or relative will pay $23,952 for the 2013-2014 academic school year according to the CSUN website, while the estimated student expenses for one school year for an undergraduate international student totals to $34,300.
Students who are not residents of California have to pay an additional $372 per unit.
“I know some countries offer scholarships for students to study and I know that other people have their families give them the money, but there are a lot of people who take credit and go through a lot of economic struggle to send their kids to American colleges,” Janowski said. “They take loans and they do the regular things that American parents do because they value that American education.”
President of CSUN’s International Student Association (ISA) Daniel Aguiar says many international students transfer to CSUN from community colleges so they can save money.
“International Students tend to transfer to CSUN since they pay more than double what a resident would pay for theirs fees, and community college tuition is slightly less than a four-year university,” Aguiar said.
Although some international students can work on campus, Aguiar says it is not enough.
“Their main source of support comes from their parents, relatives or a sponsor such as their home country government or entity,” Aguiar said.
For Mike Lee, a 20-year-old international student from Japan, studying in America means being able to choose a major he likes, as opposed to choosing a major that is required for a specific job like he would have to do if he studied back home.
“You will go to class and study very hard, even if it’s a topic that you don’t like. Here I can choose to study what I like,” Lee said.
Even though he loves studying at CSUN, Lee is not here on a scholarship which he said is an expensive experience that his family ends up paying for.
“My family is paying for this and it is much more expensive than Japan. Here we have dollars, so that’s already more money,” Lee said. “I have a (high) tuition fee, and I need to pay a lot of extra money for insurance.”
Scholarship vs. personal means
While the fees associated with being an international student are high, the report shows that 63.6 percent of international students’ primary source of funding comes from their families or personal means, while only about 20 percent comes from the U.S. college or university at which they are studying.
Abtin Jaberi, 20, an international student from Iran, came to CSUN four months ago to study to become a veterinarian, a venture he said his family is paying for out of pocket.
Although he’s far from home, Jaberi said he doesn’t miss Iran.
“I don’t miss being back home. America is much better, LA is better. It’s better people, better culture, better rules, everything is better here,” Jaberi said.
For Moath Al Omar, 17, an international student from Saudi Arabia who is majoring in psychology, getting a scholarship from the Saudi Arabian government made it possible for him to study at CSUN.
“When anyone comes here from Saudi Arabia, the government pays for them,” said Al Omar. “Their tuition is free, the campus, the insurance, everything is free. If I didn’t have the scholarship, I wouldn’t be able to come. If I you’re rich, you can come here easily.”
Cultural reasons for coming to the U.S.
While Al Omar said the main reason he came to study in America is because of the benefits of holding a U.S. degree, he also loves the American culture.
“Everything is better here in America. The culture is more open and free. In Saudi Arabia, everything is split,” Al Omar said. “The women and men are split in everything, even in high school, college and restaurants. We have a women’s section and men’s section. Women can’t even drive there. Here there is a lot more freedom.”
Of those who are international students, 41 percent are undergrads and 38 percent are graduate students. Business and management, engineering, and math and computer science are the top three majors being studied by international students, leaving humanities, education and agriculture as the least popular.
Mohammed Al-Suheem, an 18-year-old international student from Saudi Arabia who is also studying psychology at CSUN, said he chose to study in California after his brother had graduated from the university.
“I asked my father if I can try to study at CSUN like my brother did, since he loved the culture and environment so much, and so I can improve my English, and he said yes,” Al-Suheem said.
In the two months he’s been here, Al-Suheem said he’s met many other international students and he is excited to be spending his first Christmas in the U.S.
“I am really excited to see how the holidays are celebrated here. I think I might go to Big Bear or Las Vegas with my friends,” he said.
U.S. Students Studying Abroad
Juliet Aylmer, Study Abroad and National Student Exchange adviser, said the main reason American students like to study abroad is to learn about another country.
“Students like to study abroad to fully immerse themselves in another country, in another culture, to learn about themselves and others and perhaps learn a new language,” Aylmer said.
For U.S. college students, the United Kingdom, Italy and Spain are the top three destinations students choose to study abroad.
From 2010 to 2011, 34,660 U.S. students went to study in the United Kingdom, 29,645 went to study in Italy and 26,480 studied in Spain, according to the study.
According to Aylmer, only three percent of American students nationally study abroad, a number she believes is low because of financial obstacles.
“Most CSUN students don’t realize that by studying abroad through the CSU IP program, they will still pay tuition to CSUN and get financial aid if they are eligible. There are also scholarships available and many students are successful in obtaining these,” Aylmer said.
Almost polar opposites from the majors that international students choose to study are the American students’ top three majors while studying abroad. Among them are social sciences, business and humanities, while math and computer science is among one of the least popular majors.
Of the U.S. students who study abroad, over 50 percent chose to do a short term duration, which consists of studying over summer for eight weeks or less, the report said.
From 2011 to 2012, 283,332 U.S students studied abroad for academic credit, a three percent increase from the previous year. As of 2012, it is reported that nine percent of U.S. undergraduates studied abroad before graduating.
For a CSUN student to be eligible to study abroad at one of the 18 countries offered, they must have a minimum of a 2.75 GPA ,with the exception of Australia and the UK, who require a 3.0 GPA, said the CSUN International & Exchange Student Center website.
Alymer recommends all college students to partake in a study abroad experience while still in school.
“Apart from any of the intercultural reasons given above, a study abroad experience looks very impressive on a student’s resume in this multicultural world that we live in,” Alymer said.
