Oxford and Cambridge ?

b_r_um
Mon, 16 Mar 2009 05:13:43 +0000

In the US there is no strict definition of an “international” student either. It’s just a convenient label to refer to a group of students whose meaning becomes clear in context. For example, in some contexts an international student is anyone but a US citizen, or not a US citizen or permanent resident. In other contexts it’s everyone who went to high school overseas, regardless of citizenship.

Just take a look at a college’s information page for “international applicants.” It gives a lot of information for students who are not the typical American high school student, but not every piece of information will apply to every “international” student. Students may have grown up in the US but need a visa to go to college. They will read the visa and financial aid information for non-citizens but nothing else on the international student page. An American citizen who has grown up overseas might be interested only in the application instructions for applicants from a different school system. And then there’s the “typical” international student who needs to know everything on the website.

Most universities don’t have quotas for international students. (Though they certainly do have targets!) Actually, I don’t think I am aware of a single university with a quota for internationals. Please do correct me if I am wrong! I have heard of state universities with quotas for out-of-state students, but that quota applies to a lot more than just international students.