Western hosts 150-200 international and exchange students each year, on F-1 and J-1 visas. These students come from over 40 countries, contributing valuable and diverse perspectives to our campus and community. They also help financially support WWU as well as the local community.
International students at WWU pay non-resident tuition, and do not qualify for U.S. federal financial aid. They have very limited access to scholarships and are not generally authorized to work off campus. They do not have the safety network that domestic students have. Many families make huge sacrifices to fund their children’s education in the U.S. because they believe in our educational system.
Some of the issues that cause financial challenges include:
- Currency devaluation in many countries, relative to the U.S. dollar
- Parents losing employment and going through financial hardship
- Natural catastrophe or economic crises back home
- Loss of home-country government scholarship
- Visas restrict international students from working off campus
- Increased cost of airfare, testing and quarantine due to the COVID-19 pandemic
Thank you for supporting the educational and financial needs of WWU international students!
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