What international students think

Issues

Separation
‘It would definitely be better if Orientation was a mix of home and international students’
Nandini Singh, 3rd year PAIS

Banking 
‘Help us with the banking horror on campus!’

Academic Complexity
‘There has been a lot of confusion about essays and assessments. I think ERASMUS students should know the rules and procedures concerning essays before they come to Warwick.’
Alex Mertes, Erasmus

Cultural Barrier
‘The first six months were difficult. You have to adapt to new climates, people and accents; it took me four years in the UK to get used to the pub culture!
For a home student, their idea of fun may be a night at Top B, whereas for some students, a social activity may mean cooking a meal as a big group’
Paul Edkins, International Postgraduate PGCE

‘Many events in the Students’ union are based on drinking and this puts some groups off as it is not part of what they are used to. They are more interested in cultural events and shows.’
Janie Shen, 2nd year International Business

Language Barrier
‘I was a lot more comfortable speaking English with other Asian students than British, as they were also learning a language and were in the same position’
Maiko Fujio, PAIS Exchange Student

Recommendations

From Over2U:

Only 56.8% of International students felt sufficiently informed about their Union

EU and international students were twice as likely as home students to state that they had no knowledge of how the Students’ Union was run

Many postgraduates and international students felt that the Students’ Union catered primarily for undergraduate home students and that more could be done to provide services to meet their needs.

• International students felt strongly that the Students’ Union should commit itself to trying to unite and integrate the whole student community
• The presence of an international officer within the Students’ Union could be developed