U of I Ranks Third In International Students

A new report says the University of Illinois had the third-most international students among American universities in the 2013-2014 academic year.

The Institute of International Education’s annual Open Doors Data shows 10,843 students from other countries on the Urbana campus, a 10-percent jump over the previous year.  

China is the leading source of these students.

With that figure growing, the U of I’s Director of International Student Integration, Nicole Tami, said a number of campus units are looking for better ways to help those students when they first arrive, including mentoring programs.

“But instructors probably get different types of questions than an advisor might," she said.  "We do a communication section, which is public speaking, which is tailored to international students, because they have different sorts of needs and they come with a different set of skills before the class than some of our domestic students.”

"To be a university with a truly global impact means we have to be leaders in creating a community where international experiences are integrated into every aspect of our educational mission," said Urbana Chancellor Phyllis Wise, in a statement to the News-Gazette.

Tami said a recent survey of all international students has also resulted in a shuttle service from Chicago’s O’Hare Airport. 

The U of I has also been doing orientation in China and South Korea, and providing online videos for these students to watch during the admissions process.

New York University and the University of Southern California finished ahead of the U of I in the annual Open Doors report.