University of Michigan International Center

While international students, like other non-U.S. citizens, cannot vote in the midterm elections on November 6th, you can participate in other ways. You can talk to members of the campus community who are eligible to vote and learn about issues that affect higher education in general and international students in particular. Many campus conversations will touch on the election this fall, so learning about the issues, the candidates, and the outcomes offers you an opportunity to connect with others on campus and deepen your understanding of U.S. culture and politics. The University of Michigan International Center and English Language Institute have a few ideas for ways that international students can get engaged in this electoral season: Educate Yourself: Learn about the U.S. election systems, the purpose of the midterm elections, and why voting is a fundamental part of the U.S. democracy. Be Curious: Ask your American classmates and friends about their views on the candid...

While orientation is over and classes have started, events and programs put on by the International Center will continue on into the school year. While your main focus might be on classes and school work, balancing work with social activities is an important aspect of mental health, meeting new people, and making the most of your time at the University of Michigan. This blog is meant to highlight some of the fun social and cultural events hosted by the International Center. A full list of events can be found on our website calendar . We also promote our events on Facebook, so make sure to like our page ! FEATURED EVENTS International Picnic   Saturday, September 9 | Noon-2pm This event is one of the most popular among international students, scholars, and family members. Come to Island Park , one of many beautiful parks in Ann Arbor not far from campus, where we can play games and enjoy the outdoors. Food and drinks will be provided, so come by yourself to meet new friend...

A common worry of college students is finding a job after graduation or finding an internship during super long summer break. Career fairs connect college students and companies; however, it’s definitely not an easy thing. During my sophomore year, I attended the Engineering Career Fair for the first time. I still remember that my resume was almost like a blank page and I didn’t know what I should talk about when facing employers. Now, as a senior student, I have gained more experience and I am going to share with you some tips on attending career fairs. Feel free to comment and share your own thoughts with me too! I have only had experience with the Engineering Career Fair, which might be different from other career fairs on campus. Before the career fair 1. Make sure your resume stands out A resume is a snapshot of your entire professional life. In order to leave a good impression on hiring managers, your resume should show that you are the best fit for the position. If y...

The definition of excellence in education is tricky and varies a lot among different cultures--even person to person. The following are a few things I wish I knew earlier as an international student in Michigan. Lecture and Office Hours: A lecture is an informational presentation given by a professor or graduate student instructor (GSI) in class, but it’s more complex than that simple definition. While professors want students to know the material of the class well, they also want students to pursue answers to questions rather than relying solely on what they say in class. In the US, students are expected to truly get involved in the lecture; for instance, by asking quick questions, confirming one’s understandings, or even talking about some ad hoc ideas for a potential research topic. This might differ from cultures where the professor is considered the sole authority and questions are taken more as interruptions than participation and engagement. Moreover, the loose academic h...

During July 29 to August 3, I had my memorable first conference trip to Vancouver, Canada. The Joint Statistical Meeting (JSM) is the largest annual statistical conference in the North American, with over 6500 people attending from all over the world. Before arriving at JSM, I made four goals for this conference trip: find inspiration from talks related to my thesis work go to talks for personal interest reunite with old friends from college who also attend the meeting explore Vancouver area In order to achieve these goals, I made a detailed plan. Here are seven tips that made my conference experience a success for me and, hopefully, for you too! 1. Register for the conference, book the flight, and apply for the Rackham Graduate School travel grant Each academic year, Rackham Graduate School provides one travel grant for each graduate student, both masters and PhD level. Details can be found here . For large conferences like JSM, early bird flight and hotel booking can ensure...

The US healthcare system is extremely complex and confusing, even for Americans. For an international student/scholar, navigating the healthcare system can be a daunting task and it might be tempting to put it off until needs arise. However, I urge you to avoid doing so because accidents and sickness can happen to anyone at any given time. In that moment of panicking, it can be difficult to figure out where to get help, and picking the wrong option may delay your care and end up being costly. In addition, since you are already paying for the health insurance and University Health Services (UHS), it is good to know the available services and utilize them to keep yourself in optimal health. Lastly, if you have a chronic condition that requires regular care and medications, it is especially important to establish your care with a U.S. physician in case of medical emergency and to obtain prescriptions for your medications. This is because U.S. pharmacies do not accept prescriptions wr...

When I came to the US five years ago, I didn’t know much about English besides the grammar rules that I memorized in high school. I had never met anybody from South America, Africa, or Europe, and I did not know that outside of the Asian countries, drinking plain hot water is not normal. Cultural adaptation was not easy for me. There were times that I wish I was back in Taiwan, sharing meals with my family. And there were times that I felt misunderstood because I was not able to express myself fully in English. However, I was fortunate to gain a few cross-cultural friends who helped me realize the limit of my own culture and the beauty of cultural diversity. Reflecting back in the past five years, I could not be more grateful for being an international student because it gives me an opportunity to meet people from all over the world. According to the 2017 U-M International Center Statistical Report , there are over 7,000 international students from over 117 countries. The unique...

In summer 2016, the 13-year-old Lori Mae Hernandez received a standing ovation for her stand-up comedy act. Her prime joke was about her babysitting qualifications. She said, “My only qualification to be a babysitter is that I used to be a baby.” By the same token, my only qualification to write about mental health is that I struggled with a number of mental health problems as an international student here at the University of Michigan, particularly in the beginning of my study. After all, there is no formula and every person is different when it comes to mental health. By way of a working definition, according to U-M’s Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), “Wellness is a proactive and positive approach to living that increases resiliency to stress by promoting life balance and contentment.” Having stated my confession, and established what psychological well being entails, I would like to share a couple of related tips that might benefit new international students. ...

This time last year, I was getting ready to leave China to pursue graduate study at the University of Michigan.   I felt fully prepared and optimistic about turning over a new leaf in my life. What happened to me next is worth sharing with the newcomers to help them prepare for unexpected events that might lie ahead.   In order to make sure I had enough time to settle into my new life in America I bought plane tickets to arrive in the States a couple of weeks before the semester started. While embracing the excitement of a new beginning, I found myself waking up one morning unable to hear out of my right ear. It was a small cold that was caused by a combination of different factors, such as jet lag, lack of sleep, a change of environment and a new diet. If I was still in my home country I could easily get it taken care of. However, this time it was different, because I was in the United States and did not have medical insurance. Unfortunately,...