Bonnie Monnier

Hood College is the home away from home for many students, even those who are 4,625 miles away from their home.
Students from Croatia, China, United Kingdom, Africa and various other countries have been able to experience American education here at Hood. The problem for most international students is not adapting to a new home, it’s arriving to Hood and adapting to the visa restrictions that come upon arrival.
When applying as an international student there is a long process to go through in order to come to the United States. Other than filling out the international student application, they also have to apply for a F-1 student visa and figure out their financial status.
Brittany Salamanca is an alumnae of Hood who was originally from the United Kingdom, found that there wasn’t a lot of issues with applying to Hood but there were difficulties in applying for a visa.

“I found that it was fairly easy to apply to Hood, it was my visa that was difficult to get,” Salamanca said.
The F-1 visa is for international students that restrict them from living off campus and working. In order to work students must apply for a new visa, which can be difficult, Kathleen Emory, freshman international student coordinator, said.
International students are regulated and monitored which can restrict their experience here at Hood, Emory said. Each form of visa carries its own set of restrictions; regulated mainly by immigration authority but also with the help of Hood staff.
Salamanca had a long waiting period and had to file a lot forms in order to apply for a F-1 visa. Salamanca initially didn’t realize the amount of restrictions that came with a visa.
Salamanca loved her experience at Hood, but struggled with the visa restrictions. “I wanted to do much more, like working, but the application process for a new visa or extension on my visa was so difficult,” Salamanca said.
Emory said that Hood primarily cares about students’ academic records, but also must look at their financial eligibility. “Academically we will accept all students, the major difference between an international student and a domestic student is do they qualify for federal financial aid,” Emory said.
According to Emory, Hood College currently has about thirty international students from more than five countries. There are various reasons why this number is small, but Emory said it mainly has to do with the visa and financial aid process.
“We charge the same tuition for everybody but if you are a citizen, you have access to federal financial aid and if you’re not a citizen, you do not have access to that aid,” Emory said.
Emory works directly with international students and sees various applicants who cannot afford tuition or get denied for a visa. Hood College does not have any control of who receives a visa and who doesn’t; Hood admittance committee only judges their academic and financial profiles.
“We get a lot of applications, but for visas, they must prove that they can support themselves for one academic year,” Emory said. “Which means we don’t just consider them academically we also consider if they have the financial means.”
The process for international students can be difficult even after being approved for a visa. Most school visas restrict international students from working and other activities, according to NAFSA: Association of International Educators.

Ana Filipovic is a senior international student from Bosnia Herzegovina majoring in business administration.
Filipovic has not let the obstacle of the application process interrupt her education. She has been involved in various campus organizations, and was one of the founding members of Sisters Aspiring to Success.
Filipovic has integrated herself into the Hood culture and has been able to share her culture with others. “I was excited to dive into this culture and enrich people’s lives with my culture and background,” Filipovic said.
Alex Smith, junior, has had the opportunity to have class with two international students. “They had such a unique perspective and they really made the classroom more diverse,” Smith said.
Smith acknowledges that Hood does not have a lot of international students, but says she appreciates the ones Hood has. “I hope that with the upcoming election that our country can make it easier and more appealing for international students to study here and work here after graduation.”
The process for these students is not always easy, but many students want to discover Hood and American education.
“I have such a great support here and my life changing four years have definitely been happening ever since I stepped on this campus,” Filipovic said.