International Student Services advised international students to participate in graduations surveys and Optional Practical Training (OPT) or Academic Training (AT)
International Student Services (ISS) hosted a mandatory graduate meeting for all F1-visa and J1-visa holders at the Little Theater on Sept. 28. Seasiders were advised to get ready for graduation and post-graduation. Topics such as completing the graduation surveys and Optional Practical Training (OPT) or Academic Training (AT) were discussed.
According to BYU-Hawaii website, “J-visa is a non-immigrant visa issued by the United States to exchange visitors participating in programs that promote cultural exchange, especially to obtain business training within the U.S. All applicants must meet eligibility criteria and be sponsored either by a private sector or government program.”
On the same source, “F-visa is a type of non-immigrant student visa that allows foreigners to pursue education (academic studies and/or language training programs) in the U.S.”
Christine Chuah, a senior from Sabah, Malaysia, holds a J1-visa, advised her co-graduates to just press forward and have faith. She said if their future plans worked out, then it’s good for them, but if not, “that’s not the end of the world [because] there’s always something that you can do after you graduate.”
She said she learned one of the requirements of the ISS for graduates is to have $2,000 in their bank accounts to be approved for academic training. She said she was worried about the amount. Despite the money requirement, she commented, “I’m still going to push forward and find another alternative to actually fund my academic training.”
Chuah, who is majoring in social work, shared how she is applying for a scholarship for her major this semester to help her save more money while working at the same time.
Highlights
Chuah said what she liked about the meeting was the advisors of students were all present. She added each advisor was given specific countries to assist, which is very helpful so students would know who to reach out when they have questions.
Alexandra Lisensky, an F1-visa holder senior from Toronto, Canada, majoring in elementary education, said the highlight of the meeting was the willingness of the International Student Services (ISS) staff to help students get all the information they need.
She shared she didn’t know graduate students needed to take the graduation survey in order to receive the diploma or the degree. “I never knew we needed to do that. So, I will get those done.”
Eric Wong, a senior from Sichuan, China, studying TESOL, said one of the highlights for him was knowing “where and how I can find my airplane ticket and which department I should reach out to.”
Wong, a J1-visa holder, said he learned he needed to reach out to the ISS first and fill out a travel form. He continued, “After they approve it, they will send it to the travel office and they can help me look for the tickets.”
When asked about academic training, Wong said he has no plans to do the training because he is already doing an internship with a BYUH professor. He said the professor is teaching an EIL class. “I think that’s already a really valid experience for me,” he stated. Wong added, his plan is to teach in China and not in America.
Life lessons learned at BYUH
Chuah said she would bring with her the value of being decisive and “taking the initiative before letting other people tell you what to do.” For example, in the workplace, “If there’s a difficult task, we most likely let the supervisor, or the leader do the job.”
Wong said he would bring with him the skill of critical thinking. He said, “In traditional Asian education, the teacher always just teaches you … but here [at BYUH], you can ask the teacher why.” He added this is a very important skill in his life because he can have different angles and perspectives about things.
Lisensky said one thing she learned at BYUH that she would take with her is to be open-minded. She explained, “Your path can go in any way, and you need to make sure that you’re flexible because you never know what’s going to happen.”
When asked about her message to international students seeking education, Lisensky said she encourages international students “to come to this school because [here] you can find a community. And even if you are from a place like Canada where it’s a similar culture, you can still add way more to your repertoire of experiences.”