Speeches & Articles

Remarks of Consul General Beth A. Payne
USIEF “Study America Festival” for International Education Week
American Center, Kolkata
November 19, 2008

November 19, 2008

Good morning, and welcome to the American Center’s “Study America Festival,” to mark the beginning of International Education Week. 
 
For those of you who don’t know, International Education Week is a joint initiative of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education to promote an environment that not only prepares Americans to do their best academically, but also attract the best and the brightest from other countries to come to America and benefit from studying at our colleges and universities.  The U.S. offers the best university education in the world.  According to a recent study, more than six lakhs of foreign students studied at American colleges and universities in 2007.  Over 94,000 of these students were from India, which has the largest group of international students in the U.S. 
 
What attracts so many students to the United States?  First, American universities and colleges are known for their academic rigor and quality assurance.  A degree from an accredited U.S. university is sought after because it earns respect worldwide and gives a job-seeker an advantage when he or she approaches a prospective employer. 
 
Second, years of experience with international students means that most American universities have an office that deals effectively with foreign students and their issues, providing a variety of services such as campus orientation, personal and career counseling, as well as advice on housing and cultural events.  As a result, students from everywhere around the globe feel at home on or near an American campus.
 
Like American students, foreign students in the U.S. have many choices when it comes to how they would like to structure their lives.  Some live comfortably and conveniently on campus in dormitory housing, with meals provided.  Many choose to find their own apartments or share housing with friends and classmates.  An interesting option, and one that more and more students are exploring because it is relatively inexpensive, is to live in cooperative housing either on or off campus.  In these places, students usually have private rooms but share common living and dining space, as well as cooking and cleaning duties, with the other residents. 
 
International students also have many options for paying for tuition and housing.  Some students find scholarships that pay for some, if not all of their fees and others are able to work part-time on campus through the international student office.  Others have friends and family who are willing to invest in a student's future, knowing that an American university degree will reap significant rewards in the job market.
 
When I was at American University for my law studies, I knew a lot of international students.  Some lived on campus and others had apartments or lived in group homes in the neighborhood.  I worked with several American and international students at the law library at American University - many of us worked to help pay for our housing and tuition.  Interacting with students from so many countries was very enriching and made my academic experience all that more interesting.

As you participate in academic and non-academic activities at your university of choice in America, you will contribute to the reputation for excellence enjoyed by so many institutions of higher learning in the U.S.  And, when you come back to India and put what you’ve learned into practice, you’ll be important and valued members at whichever company, school or institution you choose to work.

For all of these reasons I encourage you to pursue the great adventure of higher education in the U.S.  USIEF has put together an instructive and entertaining package of events over the next three days that is tailor-made to answer all your questions about why you should consider studying in the U.S., and, most important, how to go about making your U.S. study plans a reality.  The staff of USIEF and the American Library will be glad to answer any questions you may have.  Happy studying!