Arkansas State University’s approach to international students mirrors the troubling trend across the nation in which universities prioritize revenue over the well-being of their international students.
Like anyone else, I was extremely happy when I got my visa to study at A-State, but soon after arriving here, I realized the university had no intent of giving merit scholarships to anyone who is not a United States citizen. I remember the time when the whole community of overseas students got to witness the Chancellor announcing the new Promise Plus scholarship for households earning less than $70,000 only to later find out that it only applied to U.S. citizens.
I was devastated, I felt ignored by the university I was previously so passionate about.
This experience also made me realize the harsh reality that international students are welcomed for the revenue they bring, but are otherwise ignored. While the international student population is an essential part of the campus community, their contributions are often overlooked.
Most of the international students at A-State come from developing countries where the GDP per capita is below $3,000, meaning an average person in that region makes $3,000 per year, which is 30 times less than what the GDP of America is.
This makes it impossible for students to pay for tuition without student loans or financial aid.
While most of the universities in the U.S. have a provision for international student scholarships, A-State has not yet realized how important that can be to someone who is in a pool of debt, trying to get a better education and a brighter future.
A-State’s idea of no merit scholarships for international students, even those with perfect GPA’s, along with the limited number of private scholarships available to international students, is simply unfair.
International students are not allowed to work legally off campus which does not allow them to get real-world working experience and in addition, it restricts them from being able to financially support themselves.
Additionally, international students often lack a political voice or strong advocacy within their host universities. This makes it easier for institutions to implement policies that prioritize financial gain over their international student population.
This applies to A-State too, which focuses on international recruitment strategies, paying the recruitment agency heavily and getting more international enrollment for monetary benefits.
These conditions can lead to students being involved in under-the-table jobs and getting exploited in the workforce by working for less than minimum wage. I have seen these international students not being able to get involved in various clubs and organizations since they barely have any time.
It is not because they don’t want to, some of them are great musicians, debaters and athletes but because of the financial pressure, they rarely get involved.
So, with all these issues, the solution to the problem is definitely providing more scholarships and financial aid to international students and not limiting it to just American-born citizens.
Creating and providing more opportunities will help them financially, as well as allow them to get real-world work experience, which will better prepare them for a career after graduation.
By providing the chance of fair education for all, A-State can truly embrace its diverse student body and acknowledge its contributions.
Now is the time for A-State to wake up, break the barriers, foster inclusivity and invest in all of its students.
Categories: Opinion
Nice read! Thanks for putting this out there
Yes, finally someone wrote this. Also, they may initially make you feel welcomed and celebrated, as if your hard work truly matters. But in the end, it all turns out to be some recruitment factor rather than genuine, lasting support.