New York City is the global epicenter of business, media, culture and education. As a result, people from around the world flock here to be involved in those industries. Among those coming to the Big Apple are eager international students looking to study at New York’s most world-renowned universities. Fordham University is among those schools and makes a concentrated effort to attract international students. The university currently has international students attending from 87 countries. Activities to help international students include Global Transition and organizations like the United Student Government Committee on International Integration. However, international students face challenges that aren’t well-known to domestic students. One particular issue is the complicated process of receiving a visa and trying to get work sponsorship for an internship. The university offers support through the Office of International Services (OIS), some members of the international student community feel that the Career Center can improve how they inform students about the complex process of getting an internship sponsorship. The Career Center should address and fix these concerns.
It is important to look at the visa process to get a firmer understanding of the challenges international students face. Both domestic and international students can only attend a university if they are accepted. Yet, once international students enter a university, they must begin the complicated visa process. The visa for international students studying in the United States is the F-1 visa. To be eligible for an F-1 visa, you need to be “enrolled” in an educational program, language training program or vocational program. Among other requirements are proficiency in English and sufficient funds to sustain yourself.
A student who wants an F-1 visa must also get an I-20 document. An I-20 document is official proof in the eyes of the United States government that an international student is legitimately studying in the country. In order to get the I-20 form, an international student has to submit an “Application for Certificate of Eligibility.” Then, they have to show a supporting bank statement demonstrating that they can pay for a year of college and provide a copy of the information page of their passport. Once they submit this information and get their I-20 form, then they can apply for an F-1 visa. All of this is added to the regular stress of transitioning into college as a first-year college student.
Once in college, like other domestic students, international students try to complete internships. Unlike a domestic student, an international student who wants to work in the United States must receive a work sponsorship from an employer. The problem from the company’s perspective is that sponsorship is expensive. For a nonimmigrant to be sponsored by a company through the H-1B visa program, they must pay between $1,250 and $4,500 in filing fees. As a result, many companies will pass on the opportunity to hire an international student intern. While domestic students can apply for internships and develop skills for their industries, international students have a difficult time and are more likely to lose out on valuable career-oriented experiences.
If international students want to stay and work in the United States, they can file for an Optional Practice Training (OPT) visa. After graduating, the OPT allows international students to work for 12 months in the United States. STEM students are allowed to stay for 24 months after graduation. A positive aspect of this program is that, unlike with just an F-1 visa, companies do not need to go through the process of sponsorship, which makes it easier for them to offer jobs to international students. However, many international students are hampered by the lack of internship opportunities. If they can’t get a job within the OPT-designated period, they must leave the country.
How does Fordham help international students navigate through this maze? OIS helps students receive visas and guides them through employment authorization. Regarding internships, the Career Center is less helpful. While they offer many resources about internships and post-graduation job search, most of the website is targeted towards domestic students. When browsing the Career Center’s Handshake page, finding information about any of the aforementioned visas or work sponsorship is difficult. We believe the best way to fix this is by consolidating the information about international work visas and the sponsorship process on an easily accessible page. Fordham prides itself on being a global university in a global city. It is fair that the Career Center reflects that outlook to the best of its ability.
