How To Support International Students In The Age Of COVID-19
The rise of COVID-19 saw a significant number of international students navigating precarious positions: some returned to their native countries despite the ongoing semester while others were left stranded in the US after campuses closed down and travel was suspended.
In such volatile times — rife with unparalleled public health crises, rising racial injustices, dissenting national leadership, and economic insecurity — collegiate and university learning is just one facet of American daily life that has come under fire. The rise of COVID-19 saw a significant number of international students navigating precarious positions: some returned to their native countries despite the ongoing semester while others were left stranded in the US after campuses closed down and travel was suspended. Regardless of geographic location, thousands of international students and their families today stand in the aftermath of COVID-19 questioning whether they will ever return to the American higher education system.
From the outset of the novel Coronavirus, the United States failed to establish and maintain consistent leadership and policies to address the virus’ spread, which has resulted in a loss of trust with international students and their families. Recent federal government policy changes left many international students feeling at-risk, unsure, and unsupported in their higher educational pursuits. For university and college leadership, forging a path forward is no easy feat.
The academic, cultural, and financial dynamics of their educational ecosystem is carefully balanced, and the pandemic has resulted in dwindling international enrollment numbers and suspended study abroad programs — significant sources of revenue for universities and colleges.
The potential loss of international students could weigh heavily on university and collegiate administrations.
Not only does their absence leave campuses bereft of cultural diversity and unique, innovative academic perspectives, it also sets universities and colleges up to take a significant financial hit in more ways than one. International students comprise 5.5% of overall US college enrollment, contributed $41 billion to the US economy last year, and have created nearly 500,000 jobs. Furthermore, studies suggest that international enrollment bolsters domestic student applications.
An astounding 78% of schools report that they anticipate declines in fall 2020 enrollment rates in the face of America’s ongoing COVID-19 battle, resulting in an extrapolated loss of $3 billion across the United States. For the sake of their international students, financial stability, and future growth and expansion, higher education administrations must take decisive strides towards providing a stable, trustworthy, and safe environment, both physically and holistically, for their international students.
The Challenges of International Learning in the Era of COVOD-19
Perhaps the most crucial step in alleviating international student concern is acknowledging that their experiences in American educational institutions are fraught with complexities and challenges that are lost on fellow students, professors, and administrators alike. COVID-19 has had a particularly acute effect on already difficult circumstances.
The United States had been experiencing declining numbers of international student enrollment in recent years after spiking in the 2014/2015 school year. Karen Fischer, an expert in international education at The Chronicle of Higher Education, cites this decline as a product of “a lack of diversification of student recruitment, a failure to fully integrate international students into campus life, and insufficient investment in career counseling for students from overseas.” Data supports Fischer’s analysis. A staggering 82% of prospective international students report that they fear for their safety at American academic institutions, while nearly 60% claim they worry about mental health struggles. Forty-eight percent of the students surveyed also say they fear cultural differences when enrolling in American universities and colleges.
Meanwhile, other countries have made meaningful changes to their international study policies — even before the pandemic hit. Australia announced in 2019 that students who study and remain in certain regional areas will receive an additional year on their post-study work visas, which extends their 18-month post-study timeframe significantly. Likewise, Canada allows international students to work in the country for a maximum of three years and saw an increase of 18% in international enrollment during 2018.
With China positioned at the forefront of American COVID-19 news headlines, current and future Chinese students worry that they are especially vulnerable to being a victim of xenophobia, having limited direct academic and social support, and dealing with mediocre learning environments.
These concerns are heightened for the fear that they will cause decreased productivity while simultaneously increasing exposure to the virus. Moreover, the current geopolitical and cultural climate has only sharpened Asian parents’ risk-averse and protective instincts. Continued surging positive COVID-19 cases on American soil as well as global headlines that emphasize and portray American life as erratic, irrational, and severe, have elicited fear amongst international families, particularly those in East Asian countries.
The confluence of these various COVID-19 factors has exacerbated some difficulties that were unique to the international student experience. If universities and colleges are to recoup the academic and financial losses, they must act swiftly, decisively, and thoughtfully in the face of this virus.
Customized Communication & Engagement for International Students and Parents
Emphasizing increasing transparency around efforts made by universities and colleges to mitigate fear and decrease the risks involved for international students will be the foundation of successful holistic care and outreach strategies.
For International Students Who Will Be Present on Campus in Fall 2020:
Academic institutions should enhance communication between students and the office of international student affairs, international student advisors, or the dean of students. Ensure that students have the contact information of those who can assist them in resolving various academic and logistical issues throughout the semester. These professional resources will be critical in correcting issues surrounding visas, immigration, health care, and campus safety in an era of COVID-19. This subset of personnel can also work with international students to generate more enriching academic involvement and professional opportunities.
Strengthening Student Engagement On-Campus:
Another beneficial policy entails creating or expanding the functions of student groups and peer-to-peer mentoring programs. This will further demonstrate to international students that they are recognized, valued, and set up for success in an academic landscape battling COVID-19. Fostering inter-student engagement prevents loneliness, mental health decline, and cultural isolation. Student-based groups, compounded with extensive professional and personal counseling, weave a fabric of community for international students starting or continuing their academic careers.
For Students Not Present On Campus in Fall 2020 and Prospective Students:
Communication is also critical when students are not present on campus. Institutions should provide frequent, transparent updates to keep international students informed on the latest health and safety measures taken by university and college administrations to prevent further spread of the virus. They should be proactive in sharing adaptations and changes made to physical facilities on campus and newly-created procedures that will reinforce social distancing standards. Volunteering and relaying information in a tone that aligns with individual cultural values, concerns, and struggles will be paramount in all communication efforts. Specialized outreach and engagement strategies must be developed around international students and parents who are hesitant to return to the US in preparation for the spring 2021 semester or for concerned prospective students. Stress the health and safety practices and policies in place to combat COVID-19 to parents as well as the enhanced measures from schools to ensure adjustment and integration of international students in school. Inspire students with positive portrayals of American life and reinforce that their American dreams are still very much within reach.
A Holistic Approach to International Student School Experience
COVID-19 tore through the world at a time when international enrollment in the US was already declining. COVID-19, restrictive immigration policies, intolerant cultural attitudes, and a lack of accessible, helpful resources for international students threaten to accelerate this decline further.
It is evident that COVID-19 has instigated a fundamental, permanent shift in how we, as a global community, work, learn, communicate, and connect. Given that international students are undoubtedly irreplaceable pillars of the American higher education system and economy, it is now on university and college administration to reestablish and foster a diverse, supportive, and multicultural institution. To regain momentum and increase enrollment numbers among international communities — particularly those in China and other Asian countries, that have financially supported American colleges and universities for years — US schools must quickly develop and execute thoughtful, nuanced plans that prioritize international student experience, health, and safety.
The health of higher education ecosystems across America depends on a willingness to invest in international student experts who understand the perspectives of international students and their parents. Collaborating with international student success coaches and educators facilitates the successful implementation of a holistic international student engagement plan. They can assist schools in navigating the vast cross-cultural divide, developing programs and practices that proactively address the needs of international students, expanding global educational resources for both academic coursework and career planning, and creating an outreach plan that leverages transparent and open communication to ease health and safety concerns among current and prospective international students and their parents.
Perhaps most importantly, working with an international student success coach holds the promise of continued support as the social, political, cultural, and educational climates continue to change in the face of the pandemic.
A central theme in university and collegiate recovery strategies must lie in building adaptability and flexibility into their international student engagement and care plans. Allocating proper resources to international-specific care promotes vital success and longevity among American higher educational institutions.
About The Author
Fourteen years ago I came to the U.S. from Taiwan and studied in a field that rarely accepted “fresh off the boat” international students from non-English speaking countries. I’m Dr. Vivi Hua, Psy. D. and I help international students learn how to navigate the U.S. educational system and assimilate into American culture so they can succeed academically and socially in their lives and careers!