The International Student Blog

There are thousands upon thousands of students who choose to study in Missouri! Some say it is because of the highly ranked and prestigious universities within the state, all of the great job opportunities available there, or perhaps the fanatical sports fans of all the collegiate and professional teams. All of these reasons seem to be legitimate, but I for one wonder why no one ever talks about the amazing cities where these universities are located.

The University of Missouri (main campus) for example, is located in the city of Columbia, Missouri. Columbia was named one of America’s best places to live because of the excellent quality of life by Money Magazine, Men’s Journal, and MSN.com. Individuals who study in Missouri make it a point to check out Columbia’s famous Déjà Vu Comedy Club which features some big name comedians and also doubles as a night club. The Blue Note is also one of the premier music venues in Columbia that offers affordable tickets and a variety of different music artist performances.

St. Louis, home to Washington University, has the Missouri Botanical Garden, Edison Theater, Saint Louis Zoo, and several eclectic and historic neighborhoods all over the city. The Edison Theater features some of the best national and international artists in music, dance and theater.

Kansas City offers many attractions as well, including the Boulevard Brewing Company, The Money Museum, the Country Club Plaza, the Kansas City Zoo, and the KC Fountains. Kansas City is actually nicknamed the City of Fountains because it has more fountains than any other city in the world except for Rome, Italy. The Country Club Plaza features over 150 shops, dozens of restaurants, and fun concerts, festivals, and other activities year round.

Clearly there is so much to do for students who study in Missouri and we’ve only discussed three of the state’s cities! So yes, we can say that the awesome schools and jobs draw a great number of students to the state, but there is no denying that having your campus located in a city with so many fun attractions didn’t influence some choices too!

Did you know that US colleges and universities are looking for students just like you? Saturday, March 31st, prospective international students from Asia will have the chance to meet with admissions representatives live! Hobsons is hosting a virtual fair for both prospective undergraduate and graduate international students interested in coming to the US to study.

This event is free of charge, and will give students the opportunity to chat with representatives live to get important information from school across the US. Gain important admissions information right from your computer online.

If you are from Asia and are interested in enrolling in a US school, you will not want to miss this event. With over 25 schools, you can learn more about each school without the cost of traveling! Simply by registering and attending the Hobsons Virtual Student Fair, you will have the chance to win a scholarship up to $3,000 USD.

The Hobsons Virtual Student Fair will be held from 2am – 8am EST on Saturday for your convenience. To attend, prospective international students from Asia can register right online for the virtual student fair.

http://www.internationalstudent.com/hobsons-virtual-fairs/asia-vsf.php

We look forward to seeing you there!

As an international student in Delaware, there is so much to do outside the classroom that you may find yourself packed with things to do! With the state park system in Delaware, you may find yourself laying on the beach listening to the waves or perhaps learning about US history.

One must-see state park for international student in Delaware is the Delaware Seashore State Park! With beautiful white sandy beaches, it provides the perfect getaway opportunity to unwind from the pressures of school. After lying in the sun all day, you may find yourself itching to move around. Delaware Seashore State Park offers over six miles of ocean and bay shoreline. With over a million visitors each year, you can enjoy yourself swimming or sunbathing in two different swimming areas. If you are up for an adventure, you can try surfing and sailboarding on the strong waves coming through the park. You can even try your luck at fishing at some of the banks along the Indian River Inlet. The park also maintains four different hikes, with a 4.6 mile long trail along the beach. You can either walk, or go horseback riding with a local organized group! There are also trails that lead into the forest where you can get a glimpse of Delaware’s ecosystem. Enjoy the sandy upland forests and spot birds, reptiles, and local species. Don’t forget your cameras!

If you are looking for some Delaware history, international students can check out Fort Delaware State Park. You’ll find yourself taken back to the 1800’s when this fortress was built by the Union. Back in the heart of the Civil War, Fort Delaware housed the captured prisoners from the Confederate opponents. After you explore the fort, take the local ferry to view the fortress from another angle and check out Pea Patch Island. With trails along the marshes, this area serves as a different ecosystem home to nine different species of herons, egrets, and ibis birds. In fact, this is the largest wading bird nesting areas on the East Coast!

Delaware has much to offer nature enthusiasts and history buffs! While studying in Delaware is an exciting opportunity – viewing the local attractions will create memories that will last a lifetime!

As we head into the new year, we are excited to announce important enhancements to our International Student Facebook and Twitter accounts! Not only has our number of fans continue to grow, International Student’s Facebook fan page and Twitter handle will now be the new social media hub for our family of international student websites. Instead of having to fan or follow us across multiple accounts and sites – we now offer international students one convenient source for all the very latest social media action.

The sites that we are integrating into one are:

InternationalStudent.com - our main site offers information about studying abroad, including useful advice pages for studying in the USA, UK and Australia along with our dedicated study abroad center for US students who want to travel abroad.

InternationalStudentInsurance.com – finding the correct health and travel insurance plan is often overlooked by most students, but an essential part of any travel or study experience. International Student Insurance offer low cost, comprehensive plans that could save you up to $700 when compared to your schools insurance plan!

InternationalStudentLoans.com – funding your education abroad experience is the most challenging for many students. International Student Loan provides students with a unique loan comparison tool which shows you loans that fits your specific situation, and its designed just for international students.

ESLdirectory.com – locating an english language school (ESL) is the first step for many international students. The ESL Directory is where you can find schools from around the world dedicated to teaching and improving your English language skills.

Whether you are looking for information about which University you should apply for, where to find scholarships, what health insurance plan will save you the most money, how to find a loan to finance your study abroad… with this integration we will be able have a social community where students from around the world can talk about and find information about anything relating to international education.

For most of our fans – the integration will be seamless if you currently fan or follow us on our main international student Facebook and Twitter account. However if you are a follower of one of our other sites, please join us today and move across – over time we will be closing down the other account.

Fan us and follow us today:

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/internationalstudent

Twitter: https://twitter.com/intstudent

If you are a prospective international student from the Middle East or Africa, you won’t want to miss the upcoming Hobson’s Virtual Student Fair on March 3, 2012. Dozens of US colleges and universities are looking for students just like you! International students interested in studying in the US will have the opportunity to speak with admission representatives and get important information right from your computer.

Hobsons Virtual Student Fair gives prospective students the chance to chat (or even, video chat!) with representatives from multiple schools throughout the US. Get important information about each school, ask questions with representatives, and choose the school that’s right for you. Those international students who register and attend the virtual student fair will also have the chance to win a scholarship up to $3,000 USD.

Why spend time and money traveling to the US when you can do this from the comfort of your home? The cost is free and admission is easy. To attend, prospective international students from the Middle East and Africa can register right online for the virtual student fair. Hobsons Virtual Student Fair will be on Saturday from 9am – 3pm EST. See more information and register for the Virtual Student Fair:

http://www.internationalstudent.com/hobsons-virtual-fairs/

We look forward to seeing you there!

Most international students that attend a college or university in Tennessee come from China (20.6% of the total international students in Tennessee), India (10.2% of the total international student population), or South Korea (6.8% of the total international student population). More and more college and universities are looking to recruit international students to diversify their school and programs. In fact, many colleges and universities have their own international student offices to help students transition to their new home in Tennessee!

So, you may be asking yourself, why should an international student study in Tennessee? CNN ranked Tennessee as one of the best places to live in America. Whether you plan on hiking the Great Smokey Mountains, touring the country music capital of the world in Nashville, or if you are looking for some southern cooking, no other state can provide all these amenities within a short drive!

One major draw for international students in Tennessee is the low cost of living and affordable tuition. You can view the tuition fees at the various institutions in Tennessee for undergraduate programs. As you will see, the table is broken down by school and tuition. You’ll notice that these tuition fees for international students are less than what some in-state students pay to attend a specific private or state school.

As the new school year has just started, most international students registering for classes will need to show proof of adequate health insurance coverage – or you will need to enroll in your schools insurance plan. Most school insurance plans are expensive, and by showing proof of alternative coverage you can save up to $700 a year! For example, students from the University of Hawaii can save $754 per year and students from Florida International University can save $717 per year!

The Student Secure plan offers excellent, affordable coverage for all international students, including coverage for:

- Up to $300,000 policy maximum
- $100 deductible
- Provider Network in the USA
- Meets most school requirements (check them here)
- Starts at just $28/ month

Find out more and start the year off right by saving money!
http://www.internationalstudentinsurance.com/student-health-insurance/

Shrills of amused screams echo through the air as a roller coaster whips around a bend and skyrockets upward, only to drop its unsuspecting riders back down its steep track. This could be any rollercoaster at one of Virginia’s theme parks. Forget traveling to Orlando, Florida for fun rides, international students studying in Virginia can escape their academics and easily take a day trip to one of Virginia’s amusement parks.

International students can take a break from the historic sites of Williamsburg Virginia or just their studies at the College of William and Mary and venture off to Busch Gardens Williamsburg. With over twenty rides, Busch Gardens Williamsburg is European themed. Originally named Busch Gardens: The Old Country, students can visit England, Scotland, Ireland, France, Germany and Italy. Animal encounters featuring eagles, wolves and Clydesdales, among other animals, are available.

Cool down at Busch Garden’s Water Country USA with more than ten slides and attractions.

Just north of Richmond, the capital of Virginia, King’s Dominion is the perfect place for students studying in Virginia to seek hair raising thrills. Kings Dominion attracts over 13 million visitors a year with over 60 rides and attractions. The Anaconda was the first looping coaster in the world that showcased an underwater tunnel and the 4,210-foot Dominator is the longest floorless coaster in the world. Volcano, the Blast Coaster, is the only coaster in the world to shoot you straight out of a raging volcano at speeds over 70 mph.

Like Busch Gardens, Kings Dominion also has a water park, Waterworks, complete with waterfront cabanas, rafting rides and slides.

When walking along the 28 feet wide, thee mile long boardwalk in Virginia Beach, you are bound to come across the Virginia Beach Amusement Park. Located across from the boardwalk’s only pier, the Amusement Park is more like a carnival. Prices of rides vary and all day wristbands are available.

For many travelers, tour guides are a must as they help us plan ahead and navigate in a foreign land. But when walking into a book store you will see many different tour books claiming to be the best travel guide. If you are going to study abroad in France, you might wonder how to choose a guide book that is right for you with so many options; you will find books on traveling Europe, books specific to France and others for Paris alone.

Guide books can be a valuable tool saving you time and money while you are abroad. No need to waste the first day of your trip trying to figure out which hotel to go to or looking up what subway line when you arrive. How to choose a guide book that is good and reliable is not just about choosing the one that is accurate and up-to-date, but also knowing what your needs are and what sort of traveling you will be doing.

Travel guides can cover an entire continent, a single country, combination of frequently traveled countries, a region in a particular country or even just a single city. So let’s say you will be studying abroad in France and you will have time to travel within the country and to neighboring countries as well. Will the best guide book change if you are going to stay in Paris and perhaps take a single trip to London? If you will be doing the latter, you may consider buying two city guides rather than a book on France and Britain so that you’ll get more city-specific information. Contrast that scenario with backpacking Europe where it makes sense to purchase a European travel guide.

Make sure the guide is up-to-date since the world is constantly changing. Restaurants and hotels open and close frequently, prices can change (e.g., food, train ticket, etc.), and even maps or bus schedules change regularly. Using an out of date guide can cause head aches especially if you are stuck scrambling to find a hostel last minute, or find yourself running out of money because you budgeted your trip based on outdated prices.

There are also different formats available including traditional guides, visual guides, and electronic guides described below:

1. Traditional guide books  – contains mostly text with few pictures, 3 of the most popular guides are Lonely Planet, Rough Guides and Let’s Go.
2. Visual guide books – are usually filled with pictures printed on glossy paper. Visual guides are great for specific locations where it can show exactly which sculptures to look at with specific details. In some cases, however, they may lack more in depth information on more practical topics like logistics. They are also heavier to carry around because of the glossy paper they are usually printed on.
3. Electronic guide books – Many smart phones now  include apps that acts as an electronic guide book for many different cities around the world. Lonely Planet and Rough Guides, for example, have travel guide applications for iPhone and Android phones. While they have the potential to be very useful, in my experience, mobile app guidebooks are not yet as user friendly while traveling as opposed to a traditional paper book.

So that brings us back to the question, how to choose a guide book? When choosing among the different options choose a guide that fits your needs (budget, interests and location), is up-to-date as possible, and that is written in a format that you find easy to use.

The University of Florida has increased internationalization giving students the opportunity to open doors around the world.  What started with 300 study-abroad students in one year, has now turned into more than 2,000 study abroad students this year alone and the international efforts do not stop there according to an article in the Gainesville Sun. This year thirteen UF students have won the Fulbright award, part of a US government sponsored program that allows students to gain hands-on experience teaching or conducting research in a foreign country. There are over 155 countries around the world that participate in the Fulbright program and there have been approximately 310,000 participants in the program since 1946 according to the US Department of State.

The University of Florida has embraced internationalization, and has selected it as the 2014 university renewal of accreditation theme. In an effort to spread the theme the university has hosted international fairs and speakers. UF has also branched out by adding international studies as a major, an addition that has been sought after for some time. The international studies program allows students to either study abroad or complete a research project that involves their region of study in their senior year.

The benefits of internationalization at the University of Florida reach beyond the campus, one clear illustration of this is seen through the Peace Corps. The University of Florida was ranked second in the top large universities producing Peace Corps members in 2011. UF provided 97 members, second to the University of Colorado at Boulder that provided 117 members.

If you would like more information regarding how the University of Florida increases internationalization you can find it by visiting the Gainesville Sun.