Published 16 Dec, 2024
Discover the Best Colleges for International Students: Ranked & Reviewed
Written By
West Ekhator
International students have specific needs when choosing colleges and universities. Colleges of Distinction has identified five key conditions that help create a supportive environment for these students. These conditions span the journey from recruitment to career development.
Here’s a summary of how schools are evaluated:
- Recruitment and Retention: Institutions should offer bridge programs, multilingual tours, specialized orientations, tutoring, and job fairs for visa sponsorship.
- Guidance on Living and Studying in the U.S.: Top schools provide workshops on U.S. culture, immigration pathways, and essential living skills like banking and health insurance.
- Academic Acclimation and Support: Effective support includes virtual office hours with professors, writing workshops, English language support, networking events, and advisory boards.
- Fostering Belonging on Campus: This is achieved through international student organizations, mentorship programs, cultural festivals, and social events that celebrate diversity.
- Career Development and Immigration Support: Schools should offer visa assistance, personalized career advising, and guidance on graduation requirements.
The following colleges and universities, nearly 200 in total, excel in supporting international students across 40 states. Here is the list, organized by state:
Alabama
- The University of Alabama
Arizona
- University of Arizona
Arkansas
- Harding University
- University of Arkansas
- University of Arkansas – Fort Smith
California
- California State University, Fullerton
- Harvey Mudd College
- Pepperdine University
- Pomona College
- San Francisco State University
- Santa Clara University
- University of California, Davis
- University of California, Irvine
- University of California, San Diego
- University of California, Santa Barbara
Colorado
- Colorado Christian University
- Regis University
- University of Colorado Boulder
Connecticut
- Albertus Magnus College
- Quinnipiac University
- University of Connecticut
- University of Hartford
- Wesleyan University
District of Columbia
- American University
Florida
- Flagler College
- Florida Institute of Technology
- Southeastern University
- Stetson University
- University of Miami
Georgia
- Georgia College
- Reinhardt University
Illinois
- Lewis University
- North Park University
- Olivet Nazarene University
- Trinity Christian College
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Indiana
- Anderson University
- Indiana University Bloomington
- Purdue University
- University of Notre Dame
Iowa
- Grinnell College
- St. Ambrose University
- University of Iowa
Kansas
- University of Kansas
Kentucky
- Centre College
- University of the Cumberlands
Louisiana
- Tulane University
Maine
- Bowdoin College
- University of Maine
Maryland
- University of Maryland
- Washington College
Massachusetts
- Boston College
- Boston University
- Dean College
- Suffolk University
- Wellesley College
- Westfield State University
Michigan
- Aquinas College
- Michigan State University
- University of Michigan
Minnesota
- St. Cloud State University
- University of Minnesota Twin Cities
Mississippi
- The University of Mississippi
Missouri
- Evangel University
- University of Missouri
- University of Missouri, Kansas City
- Washington University in St. Louis
Nebraska
- University of Nebraska–Lincoln
- Wayne State College
New Hampshire
- Rivier University
New Jersey
- Caldwell University
- Monmouth University
- Ramapo College of New Jersey
- Rider University
- Rowan University
New York
- Adelphi University
- Daemen University
- Dominican University New York
- Fordham University
- Hamilton College
- Hobart and William Smith Colleges
- Le Moyne College
- Manhattanville University
- Nazareth University
- New York University
- SUNY Oneonta
- Stony Brook University
- Syracuse University
- University at Buffalo
- University of Rochester
- Vassar College
North Carolina
- Appalachian State University
- Barton College
- Davidson College
- Elon University
- Gardner-Webb University
- High Point University
- Meredith College
- North Carolina State University
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Ohio
- Denison University
- Hiram College
- Kenyon College
- Miami University—Oxford
- Ohio Northern University
- The College of Wooster
- The Ohio State University
- University of Cincinnati
- Walsh University
Oklahoma
- Oklahoma Christian University
- Southern Nazarene University
- University of Oklahoma
Oregon
- Eastern Oregon University
- University of Oregon
Pennsylvania
- Bucknell University
- Carnegie Mellon University
- Dickinson College
- Elizabetht
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