International student enrollment spikes

International student enrollment spikes

By Taylor Voegel

SIU has the largest number of new international students this semester since 1985.

Carla Coppi, director of the Center for International Education, said the 515 new international arrivals include both undergraduate and graduate students. She said many of these students are transfers who completed some college in their home countries.

This semester’s new international students include 156 Brazilians, 86 Indians, 63 Chinese, 60 Saudi Arabians and 16 Taiwanese.

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“Even if you take Brazil out of the mix, we still have 40 over last year’s high water mark,” Coppi said. “We’ve always had a very robust international student population.”

Coppi said 347 new international students were enrolled in fall 2013, which at the time was the highest number since 1991. She said one of the reasons for the upsurge in Brazilian students is because the Brazilian government decided to sponsor students studying science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

While some of these students are financially supported through their governments and other programs, Coppi said most of them are paying for their education. She said international students usually do not become eligible for in-state tuition and end up paying a higher price for education.

Yonus Entezar, a graduate student from Afghanistan studying media, said he learned a great deal from the university. He said he learned a lot while at school and is excited about the rise in international students.

“The more you involve international students, the more it gives us different points of view,” Entezar said.

Haitao Zeng, a graduate student from China studying media and media management, said he came to the U.S. to improve his English. Zeng said in China everyone takes the same classes so he enjoys how people can focus on one area of study at the university.

“There is more freedom for us to think about what is good for us,” he said.

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Zeng said he would easily be able to find a job in China because of his education at the university and work experience in the U.S.

“If I get experience here, it’s good for me to go back to China,” Zeng said.

Taylor Voegel can be reached at [email protected].

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